Civil Society Prison Reform Initiative: briefing

Correctional Services

09 September 2003
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Meeting report

CORRECTIONAL SERVICES PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
9 September 2003
CIVIL SOCIETY PRISON REFORM INITIATIVE: BRIEFING



Acting Chairperson: Mr D V Bloem

Documents handed out:
 

Overview of Prisons Policy 1994-2002

SUMMARY
The Civil Society Prison Reform Initiative briefed the Committee on prison policy from 1994-2002. Demilitarisation policy and the reinstatement of the militarisation strategy referring to the dress code of prisoners and the prison staff was discussed. Privatisation of prisons was condoned. Juvenile prisons should be privatised so that juveniles would have access to adequate training skills and education before being released to society.

MINUTES
Professor Julia Sloth-Nielsen,co-founder of the Civil Society Prison Reform Initiative (CSPRI) briefed the Committee She presented an overview of the prison policy from 1994-2002 emphasizing the former demilitarisation policy and the reinstatement of the militarisation strategy in accordance to the dress code of prisoners and the prison staff. She also addressed privatisation of prisons and was of the opinion that juvenile prisons should be privatised granting access to juveniles for adequate training skills and education before being released to coexist in society.

Discussion
Mr G C Oosthuizen (ANC) commented that Prof Sloth-Nielson's work was extremely negative towards the policies of the correctional service and that he had found it to be "despondent". He said that resolutions for better conditions for prisoners would only be reached if a positive approach was taken.

Mr E T Ferreira (IFP) said that the demilitarisation process of the prison dress code had resulted in disrespect by prisoners of the warders who had disregarded their authority.

Prof Nielsen agreed to the extent that there should be corporative identity but that a new dress sense should be created for prison authorities so that they were dissociated from the militant values of the past regime.

Mr Ferreira stated that correctional services could work in a normal society not S African society.

Prof Nielsen disagreed. She elaborated on correctional services such as anti crime skills where for example 30 000 juveniles converted.

Mr Ferreira stated in response to Prof Nielsen's earlier remark on privatisation that he had thought that the privatisation of maximum prisons was the correct mechanism to safeguard the South African civil society from approximately 5500 hardened criminals who were serving life sentences.

Prof Nielsen believed that the privatisation strategy would be better utilised if access to educational programmes and training skills was provided to juveniles. Unlike those prisoners who were serving life sentences, juveniles would reenter society after serving their time and it would be in the best interest of society, private corporations and government if they reentered on a moral footing.

Both Mr F J Van Deventer (DA) and Mr J Durand (NNP) highlighted in their individual statements the negative response of society over early parole sentences and when prisoners were released for minor crimes.

Mr Van Deventer said that the early release of criminals had "an impact on the privacy of people". How could public opinion be addressed in light of every civilian's human right to privacy?

Mr L N Diale (ANC) asked about the injustice of the imprisonment for up to seven years of persons allegedly accused of criminal offences without trial. He believed that they should either be sentenced immediately or be released.

Prof Nielsen said that it was a serious problem and that there were limited suggestions on how to alleviate that human inequity.

The Chair voiced his disappointment about some of the serious statements made by Prof Nielsen in her paper that raised the suggestions that the members of the Committee were unaware of the proceedings in that committee. He felt this was an unfair statement.

Prof Nielsen said that the sections in her paper that the Chair had referred to were quoted statements from other academic writers.

The Chair thanked Prof Nielsen for delivering a good presentation and urged her to encourage other NGO's to integrate with the Committee because NGO's were the government's watchdogs and their input was needed so that the Committee remained a loyal and committed governmental body.

Meeting was adjourned.

 

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