Question NW546 to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
11 August 2020 - NW546
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