Question NW546 to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services

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11 August 2020 - NW546

Profile picture: Selfe, Mr J

Selfe, Mr J to ask the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services

(a) What number of mentally ill persons are accommodated in correctional centers and (b) in which correctional centers are they accommodated; (2) whether social and psychological services are provided by his department to support all such mentally ill persons and to support their mental health; if not, (a) why not and (b) what steps are being taken to accommodate them elsewhere?

Reply:

(1)(a) and (b)Total Number of mentally ill persons (inmates) and centres

(1)(a) Total Number of mentally ill persons (inmates)

(1)(b) Name of Correctional Centre

02

Fort Beaufort

03

Grahams town

33

King Williams town

19

Middle drift

25

East London (EL) Medium A

19

EL Medium B

16

EL Medium C

20

Mdantsane

18

Kirkwood

70

Mthatha medium

36

Mthatha Remand

19

Burgers Dorp

18

Butterworth

02

Dutywa

11

Middleburg

03

Ngcobo

07

Queenstown

08

Sada

01

Sturkspruit

37

St Albans Medium A

43

St Albans Medium B

63

St Albans Maximum

08

Patensie

21

Port Elizabeth

73

Grootvlei Medium A

11

Grootvlei Medium B

02

Winburg

01

Brandfort

245

Mangaung

42

Groenpunt Maximum

22

Groenpunt Medium

03

Groenpunt Youth

24

Vereeniging

11

Sasolburg

01

Heilbron

01

Frankfort

63

Tswelopele

16

Kimberley

30

BizzahMakhate Centre A

06

BizzahMakhate Centre B

41

BizzahMakhate Centre C

02

Bethlehem

03

Ficksburg

09

Harrismith

01

Hennenman

03

Odendaalsrus

06

Virginia

01

Colesberg

01

Hopetown

05

De Aar

02

Richmond

07

Victoria West

20

Upington

7

Springbok

10

Kuruman

4

Goedemoed Medium A

17

Goedemoed Medium B

03

Emthonjeni Youth

35

Baviaanspoort Medium Centre

24

Baviaanspoort Maximum Centre

55

Boksburg Centre A

06

Boksburg Juvenile

09

Heidelberg

62

Johannesburg (JHB) Centre A

94

JHB Centre B

42

JHB Centre C

60

JHB Female Centre

105

KgošiMampuru II (KM II) Central

55

KM II Local

18

KM II Female Centre

24

KM II C-Max

14

Atteridgeville

30

Odi Centre

40

Krugersdorp Medium Centre

44

Leeuwkop Medium A

22

Leeuwkop Medium B

33

Leeuwkop Medium C

61

Leeuwkop Maximum

141

Modderbee

07

Nigel Centre

74

Zonderwater Medium A

50

Zonderwater Medium B

77

Durban Medium A

97

Durban Medium B

10

Durban Medium C

7

Durban Medium D

15

Umzinto

27

Durban Female

55

Qalakabusha

1

Empangeni Medium

18

Eshowe

1

Maphumulo

1

Mthunzini

1

Bergville

1

Dundee

6

Estcourt

24

Glencoe

14

Ladysmith

9

Ebongweni

5

Kokstad Medium

2

Portshepstone

17

Ncome Medium A

25

Ncome Medium B

15

Vryheid

1

Nongoma

2

Nkandla

65

Pietermaritzburg Medium A

2

Pietermaritzburg Medium B

4

New Hanover

13

Sevontein

3

Ixopo

39

Waterval Medium A

19

Waterval Medium B

6

Ekuseni

6

Newcastle Male

2

Newcastle Female

29

Barberton Maximum

20

Barberton Medium B

4

Barberton Medium A

6

Town Youth

5

Lydenburg

23

Nelspruit

16

Bethal

20

Ermelo

5

Piet Retief

3

Volksrust

12

Standerton

23

Klerksdorp

29

Potchefstroom

02

Wolmaransstad

04

Christiaana

56

Polokwane

08

Modimolle

01

Tzaneen

28

Rooigrond Medium A

06

RooigrondMedium B

04

Lichtenburg

04

Zeerust

07

Mafikeng

24

Losperfontein

12

Mogwase

10

Rustenburg Med A

02

Rustenburg COE

46

Thohoyandou Medium A

64

Thohoyandou Medium B

12

Thohoyandou Female/Juvenile

13

Makhado

40

Witbank

12

Middelburg

172

Kutama-Sinthumule

27

Allandale

6

Hawequa

10

Obiqua

18

Paardeberg

42

Brandvlei Maximum

10

Brandvlei Medium

07

Brandvlei Youth Centre

26

Drakenstein Medium A

3

Drakenstein Medium B

63

Drakenstein Maximum

2

Stellenbosch

66

Goodwood

6

Buffeljagsrivier

2

Caledon

34

Overberg Medium

40

Overberg Maximum

89

Pollsmoor Remand Detention

50

Pollsmoor Medium A

18

Pollsmoor Medium B

4

Pollsmoor Medium C  

33

Pollsmoor Female

3

Beaufort West

31

George

4

Knysna

1

Ladismith

3

Mosselbay

5

Oudtshoorn Male

11

Oudsthoorn Female

1

Prince Albert

1

Uniondale

47

Malmesbury Med A

19

Malmesbury Med B

2

Voorberg Medium A

67

Voorberg Medium B

8

Vanrhynsdorp

18

Worcester Males

38

Worcester Females

2

Robertson

10

Dwarsrivier

14

Warmbokkeveld

TOTAL: 4 453

(2) (a) Social Work Services and Psychological Services are provided on a needs basis to all inmates including the mentally ill:

  • SOCIAL WORK SERVICES:NATURE OF SERVICES:
  • Intake services: Mentally ill inmates participate in intake processes where a SocialWorker engages them in the initial interview to determine the need as referred or at own request.
  • Assessment:Comprehensive assessments are conducted with individual mentally ill offenders to establish the real needs and for appropriate intervention plans to be compiled and implemented.
  • Support services: These services are rendered to mentally ill inmates and may range from information sharing to assistance with building and or maintaining family tieswhile incarcerated.

These offenders participate in either group or individual therapeutic programmes according to theneeds. Social Workers provide on-going psychosocial support to inmates and their families.

  • Referral services:These inmates are referred on a needs basis by Social Workers to other internal and or external professionals and service providers for further psychosocial assistance which includes specialized services.
  • Progress reports:Progress reports in respect of individual offenders including the mentally ill who participated in needs-based therapeutic Social Work services programmes are compiled and kept in the individual files.
  • PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES:
  • All new admissions with mental illness and those diagnosed with mental illness whilst incarcerated are referred to the psychologist by nursing staff or unit managers for assessment and management.
  • Psychologists assess mentally ill inmates and develop individualisedtreatment plans which may involve among others referral to other stakeholders (i.e. social workers, correctional officials, nurses and psychiatrists).
  • Psychologists run support groups that address mental health issues (i.e. anxiety and depression, psychological adjustment and suicide prevention).
  • Mentally ill inmates are at liberty to request for psychological services at any given time without referral.
  • Inmates that are actively mentally ill are assessed by the psychologist and referred to a psychiatrist.
  • Psychologists provide psycho-education to mentally ill inmates on understanding their diagnosis, treatment regime and management of their overall mental health. Psychologists provide on-going psychotherapy to mentally ill inmates.
  • Psychologists provide reports to the parole board regarding offender’s mental status and risks for recidivism.
  • Psychologists conduct awareness campaigns on mental health and recognize calendar events on mental health promotion (i.e. World Mental Health Day, Suicide Prevention Week and Mental Health Awareness Month).

(2) (b) Since 2019 a project was initiated by DoH (mental health unit) in collaboration with Department of Correctional Services and Justice to remove forensic cases especially state patients to designated mental health hospitals. Provincial Observation Panels, consisting of Psychologists, psychiatric nurses and mental health Social Workers have been established by the Department of Health to fast track observation processes to finalise court processes.

Inmates with acute mental health conditions are referred to Department of Health facilities for management and decision for admission to Mental Health institutions or returned to Department of Correctional Services.

Inmates with stable mental health conditions are managed by Department of Correctional Services in terms of the Mental Health Act 17 of 2002 which constitute the 4,453 inmates in Correctional Sentences

END

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