Briefing by Psychologist on Psychological Services rendered to Prisoners & Personnel & Social Work Services

Meeting report

CORRECTIONAL SERVICES PORFOLIO COMMITTEE
3 June 1998
BRIEFING BY PSYCHOLOGIST ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES RENDERED TO PRISONERS AND PERSONNEL AND SOCIAL WORK SERVICES

Documents handed out:
Department of Correctional Services: Psychological Services
Department of Correctional Services: Directorate Social Work Services

The Department of Correctional Services gave a presentation on the psychological and social work services given to prisoners.

The members asked the department the following questions:
1) How many psychologists are there in each province?
2) How has the attitude of gang leaders changed?
3) Has any analysis been done with regards to dirty needles used for tattooing in prison as this may spread the AIDS virus?
4) How are inmates suspected of sexual, mental or aggressive behaviour.

The answers given were:
1) There are 15 psychologists in the Western Cape, 13 in Gauteng, 4 in Kwazulu Natal, 3 in Free State and 1 in Mpumalanga.
2) Ms Bergh, Director of Psychological Services, stated that positive feedback had been received by letter from a gang leader of the 28-gang, who has indicated that he has a positive attitude towards his family after completing the IIE Programme.
3) No in-depth analysis has been made, but it will be looked into.
4) The warden is able to detect this by the prisoner's behaviour.

In conclusion the Chairperson, Ms Hani, commented that the Director of Social Work Services was a female, yet the presentation was given by a male. Mr Jordaan, the presenter, apologised and said that the comment would be noted.

Annexure 1:
BRIEFING TO PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES:
DIRECTORATE SOCIAL WORK SERVICES

PRESENTER : MR C T JORDAAN

3 JUNE 199

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:
To inform the Portfolio Committee on the functioning and services of the Directorate Social Work Services within the Department of Correctional Services and to create a supportive
climate which will contribute to the strategic objectives.

SERVICES:
· Life Skills,
· Family Care and Marriage,
· Alcohol dependence,
· Drug dependence,
· Orientation in respect of Social Work Services,
· Social behaviour problems,
· Aggressive behaviour,
· Sexual behaviour problems,
· Trauma, and
· Release preparation.

FOCUS GROUPS:
· SENTENCED INMATES, (approx. 98 500)
· PROBATIONERS, (12 559 active structured correctional supervision programmes)

REFEREAL SERVICES:
· UNSENTENCED INMATES,
· PERSONNEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES.

PRINCIPLES OF SERVICE RENDERING:
The Support and Development Model of intervention is pursued.

Principles that apply:
· Rendering of services are directed by national and international standards and guidelines,
· Provision opportunities to offenders for development,
· Recognition of the offender's choice to utilize these services,
· Emphasis on the offender's ultimate responsibility to change his own behaviour; and
· Involvement and utilization of the community as supportive partners.

ESTABLISHMENT:
Number of Social vacancies: 299
Number of vacancies: 38
Head Office Personnel: 3
Sub-total: 340
Social Auxiliary Workers: 104
Total:444

Minimum Service Level Standards:
· 200 case load per social worker,
· 8 group work sessions per month,
· 40 individual therapeutic interview per social worker per month,
· 100 juveniles case load per social worker,
· Execution of relevant administration and representation of case load at Institutional Committee, and Prison Board sittings.

RESULTS ACHIEVED: 97/98
· Total of 106 974 inmates and probationers received services during 1997
· Establishment of an improved life skills programme (Free to Grow),
· Training of life skills facilitators (84),
· Assessment instrument-validity study at present being undertaken,
· Assessment instrument- based on touch screen assessment enabling illiterate inmates to be assessed, questions asked in seven (7) official languages,
· Development of compulsory offender behaviour awareness programme.

BURNING ISSUES:
INFRA-STRUCTURE: Cost/time to upgrade physical infra-structure to accommodate social work needs:

HUMAN RESOURCES:
· Case loads of Social workers exceed our capacity,
· A total of 86 prisons have social workers whilst 145 do not have social workers,
· Social workers not able to focus on therapeutic needs,
· Comprehensive induction programme
· Comprehensive assessment,
· Comprehensive case management plan,
· Inmate commitment to development programmes,
· Regular review of case plan progress.

CHALLENGES/ SOLUTIONS;
· Restructuring,
· We are utilizing Section 7 funds in addressing the current establishment shortcomings
· New challenges:
- Unit management,
- Expanded roles of correctional professionals,
- Correctional Officers to be trained to take responsibility for didactic contents of programmes. Social workers can focus on counselling and therapeutic content,
- "Structured day programmes",
- Expansion of menu of programmes to address changing needs, e.g. addiction to "hard drugs"
- Establishment and appointment of Provincial co-ordinators for Social Work Services,
- Expansion and financing of social worker establishment to serve prisons where social work services are not rendered.
- Training of nine (9) master trainers for life skills,
- Using present capacity to reach larger target group by focusing more on social group work and enlarging the groups.

BUDGET ALLOCATION:
98/99
PERSONNEL: R39 793 000
ADMINISTRATION: R 865 00
STORES, STOCKS,
EQUIPMENT AND
MISCELLANEOUS: R 1449 000
PROFESSIONAL AND
SPECIAL SERVICES: R 1660 000
TOTAL: R43 767 000

CONCLUSION:
Given the restructuring exercise of the Department of Correctional Services which will:
· primarily focus on enhancing the quality of services rendered to inmates and probationers,
· increase the constructive interaction between correctional officers and inmates/ probationers and
· expand the roles and responsibilities of correctional officers,

The Directorate Social Work Services is excited and positive about the new challenges and anticipates that an era will be reached where, with the co-operation and support of communities, inmates will have an improved chance of not re-offending.

Annexure 2:
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES

PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES
PRESENTER : M E LORINDA BERGH
[DIRECTOR PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES]
3 JUNE 1998

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION
· TO PRESENT TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON CORRECTIONAL SERVICES THE ACTIVITIES OF THE DIRECTORATE PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES

INTRODUCTION: PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES
Deficient life skills and/or mental health often result(s) in crime. It is therefore important that each sentenced prisoner or probationer, should be involved in need-oriented psychological treatment and/or development programmes if necessary, in order to promote their effective functioning and to improve and/or maintain their quality of life.

MISSION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL
· TO RENDER A PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICE TO ALL PERSONS ENTRUSTED TO OUR CARE

PRINCIPLES
· FREEDOM OF CHOICE
· THERE WILL BE NO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ANY OFFENDER
· OFFENDERS WILL BE TREATED WITH RESPECT
· PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL OFFENDERS

TARGET GROUPS
· UNSENTENCED OFFENDERS (ONLY CRISES CASES)
· SENTENCED OFFENDERS
- SUICIDE RISKS
- COURT REFERRALS
- MENTALLY ILL SEXUAL AND AGGRESSIVE OFFENDERS, AND THOSE UNDER PSYCHIATRIC MEDICATION
- OWN REQUESTS AND PERSONS REFERRED FROM OTHER PERSONS [INSTITUTIONAL COMMITTEE, HEAD OF PRISON, ETC]
· PERSONS UNDER CORRECTIONAL SUPERVISION AND/OR PAROLEES
· PERSONNEL
(CRISES SITUATIONS I.E. SUICIDE RISKS OR HOSTAGE SITUATIONS)

SERVICES RENDERED BY PSYCHOLOGISTS
· INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPY
· GROUPTHERAPY
· MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY
· OTHER THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS (I.E. ART THERAPY, HYPNOSIS, RELAXATION THERAPY]
· STRUCTURED PROGRAMMES (INVESTMENT IN EXCELLENCE)

INVESTMENT IN EXCELLENCE PROGRAMME
· THE INVESTMENT IN EXCELLENCE PROGRAMME (IIE) IS A NON-TRADITIONAL EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM TEACHING SKILLS WHICH RELEASE INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP POTENTIAL BY CHANGING OLD HABITS, ATTITUDES AND
BELIEFS AND THEREBY BRINGS ABOUT MEANINGFUL AND LASTING CHANGE

FEEDBACK ON lIE
· SINCE THE lIE PROGRAMME WAS IMPLEMENTED NATIONALLY IT HAS SHOWN THAT IT IS WORKING EFFECTIVELY.
· IT IS ALLOWING OFFENDERS AND PERSONNEL TO CHANGE OLD HABITS AND ATTITUDES
· IT IS FACILITATING IN THE TRANSFORMATION PROCESS IN DCS

RESULTS OF lIE SINCE IMPLEMENTATION
1996:
Total number of 526 persons completed the programme (301 offenders and 225 personnel)

1997:
Total number of 5540 persons completed the programme (2416 offenders and 3124 personnel)

1998:
Total number of 11600 persons completed the programme (5200 offenders and 6400 personnel)

BUDGET ALLOCATION: 98/99
Personnel: R7248 00
Administration: R 238 000
Stores, Stocks,
Equipment and
Miscellaneous: R 330 000
Professional and
Special services: R 397 000
Total: R 8 213 000

PROPOSED RESOLUTION
· The Directorate Psychological Services requests the continued support of the Portfolio Committee in order to continue treatment and development programmes for all the persons entrusted to the Directorate's care.