CORRECTIONAL SERVICES IN FREE STATE PROVINCE

A. PRISONS
1. TOTAL NUMBER OF PRISONS: 34 Prisons in 27 Management Areas.
2. NAME AND GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OF EACH PRISON:
BETHLEHEM
BETHULIE
BRANDFORT
BOSHOF
EDENBURG
FAURESMITH
FICKSBURG
FRANKFORT
GOEDEMOED - ALIWAL-NORTH
GROOTVLEI - BLOEMFONTEIN
GROENPUNT - DENEYSVILLE
HOOPSTAD
HENNENMAN
HARRISMITH
HEILBRON
KROONSTAD
LADYBRAND
LINDLEY
ODENDAALSRUS
PARYS
SASOLBURG
SENEKAL
VIRGINIA
VENTERSBURG
WEPENER
WINBURG
ZASTRON

3. TYPES OF PRISONS:

JUVENILE CENTERS:
GROENPUNT (capacity of 221) AND KROONSTAD (capacity of 71).

MEDIUM PRISONS:
BETHLEHEM BETHULIE
BRANDFORT
BOSHOF
EDENBURG
FAURESMITH
FICKSBURG
FRANKFORT
GOEDEMOED A
GOEDEMOED B
GROOTVLEI A
GROOTVLEI B
GROENPUNT
HOOPSTAD
HENNENMAN
HARRISSMITH
HEILBRON
KROONSTAD A
KROONSTAD B
KROONSTAD C
LADYBRAND
LINDLEY
ODENDAALSRUS
PARYS
SASOLBURG SENEKAL
VIRGINIA
VENTERSBURG
WEPENER
WINBURG
ZASTRON

MAXIMUM PRISONS:
GROENPUNT (capacity of 1200).

4, 5 AND 6. OFFICIAL CAPACITY, ACTUAL NUMBER OF POPULATION AND PERCENTAGE OVERCROWDING/ UNDER POPULATION OF EACH PRISON AS ON 1999/11/15

D. CHILDREN
1. Total number of children in prison: 182
2. Age breakdowns of children.

Stress management programmes for warders/ wardresses.
Stress Management Module is available to personnel.
Three EAP practitioners have been appointed with effect from December 1, 1999.

F. DISCIPLINE

2. Total number of escapees per year over the last five years.

6. Solutions implemented in each case to prevent further escapes.
* An hourly movement control register for supervisors was put in place
to monitor movement of medium classification prisoners.
* Security Fences were installed at Virginia.
* Installed a door and built a high wall at Bethlehem.
* Repaired a guarding post at Harrismith.
* Members who guard prisoners were sensitised to be alert at all times.

HEALTH ISSUES
1. Estimated number HIV/AIDS in the province.

2. Facilities for HIV/AIDS prisoners in the province.
* 29 Internal, Multipurpose/Comprehensive Primary Health Care Clinics.
* 3 Internal, Sleep-in facilities for AIDS patients at Grootvlei, Groenpunt and Kroonstad.
* 1 Internal, centralised Provincial Hospital at Grootvlei.

3. Problems with caring for AIDS prisoners.
* None presently, but problems can occur in the future.

4. HIV/AIDS awareness programmes and education programmes.
(i) Education:
* Peer Group Counselling
* Education by professional staff as part of development programmes.
* Education Programmes by NGOs.
* Education Programmes by DCS nurses.
(ii) Awareness Programmes:
* Video Material by professional staff.
* Care and counselling by DCS norms on a daily basis.
* Department of Health conduct visits weekly (District Practitioner).
* NGOs conduct visits on a monthly basis.
* Availability and accessibility of condoms in prison sections and hospitals/clinics.
* Reading material and pamphlets.

5. Are prisoners still sent to private clinics for medical treatment in any areas?
* Under no circumstances.

J. RECREATIONAL FACILITIES
1. Types of recreation facilities available to prisoners.
* Soccer, Volley Ball, Table Tennis, Rugby, Boxing, Finger Boards, Darts, Dominoes, Basketball, Pool, Gymnasium, Chess and Choir activities.

2. Budget for recreational facilities:

3. Shortages:
* No shortages are currently experienced.

K. REHABILITATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Number of Social Workers: 42

2. Number of Psychologists: 4

3. Ratios:
Social Workers: 200 inmates per social worker, but 51 approved and financed posts exist, amounting to 9 vacancies.
Psychologists: 450 inmates per psychologist, but 12 approved and financed posts exist, amounting to 8 vacancies.

4. No permanent Social Worker(s) at: Sixteen (16) Management Areas.
Lindley
Ladybrand
Hoopstad
Hennenman
Heilbron
Frankfort
Ficksburg
Fauresmith
Edenburg
Boshof
Brandfort
Bethulie
Ventersburg
Wepener
Winburg
Zastron

5. No psychologist(s) at: Twenty-six Management Areas.
Only Grootvlei and Groenpunt has psychologists in the province.

6. Solutions implemented to address shortages of Social Workers and Psychologists.
The province had 25 social workers in February 1999.
By June 1999, eighteen (18) more were employed.
During November 1999, eight (8) more were recruited; four (4) for Groenpunt, one (1) for Kroonstad, one (1) for Grootvlei, one (1) for Senekal and one (1) for Virginia.
Several attempts were made to recruit psychologists, but due to the uncompetitive salaries when compared to the private sector, it is very difficult to fill vacancies.

7. Pre-release Programmes of Social Workers and Psychologists.
* Social workers do present pre-release programmes for all prisoners with approved release dates.
* Due to the low numbers of psychologists, pre-release programmes cannot always take place as it should. However, social workers do involve psychologists in their pre-release programmes at Grootvlei and Groenpunt.

L. EDUCATION AND TRAINING
1. NUMBER OF EDUCATIONISTS IN THE PROVINCE: 27
2. NUMBER OF VACANCIES: 6
3. MEMBER/STUDENT RATIO FOR EDUCATION: 1:35
* Where the lockup is bigger than 200 inmates, 1 member is available.
4. MEMBER/STUDENT RATIO FOR TRAINING: 1:20
5. AVAILABLE EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING PROGRAMMES IN THE PROVINCE:
Vocational Trade Test
Occupation Skills Training
Abet
Agricultural Training
Entrepreneurial Training
Mainstream Bricklaying
Welding
Paving
Plumbing
Spray Painting
Tiling
Plastering
Carpentry

6. IDENTIFY PROBLEMS IN THE PROVISION OF THESE PROGRAMMES:
In terms of the approved establishment, we do not have enough facilitators in the province, but we are in a process of filling vacancies.

7. NUMBER AND TYPE OF WORKSHOPS, BUILDING CENTERS AND AGRICULTURAL CENTERS:
* One (1) Production workshop at Kroonstad.
* Three (3) Maintenance (building) centers at Grootvlei, Groenpunt and Goedemoed.
Three (3) Agricultural centers at Goedemoed, Groenpunt and Virginia.

8. WHICH PRISONS HAVE LITTLE OR NO ACCESS TO PROGRAMMES AND EDUCATORS?
There are no educators at all of the following Management Areas.
Hennenman
Zastron
Wepener
Ventersburg
Lindley
Heilbron
Frankfort
Bethulie
Brandfort
Boshof
Fauresmith
Ficksburg
Ladybrand
Parys
Odendaalsrus
Winburg
Hoopstad

9. PARTICIPATION AND SUCCESS RATE OF PROGRAMMES:
The training rate is very low due to the fact that there is not enough educators. The trend is currently more focused on quantity, rather than quality, because of this.

10. IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS TO THESE PROBLEMS:
More educators should be appointed to ensure that the quality education objective is reached.

M. WORK PROGRAMMES
1. Types and availability of prison work programmes in the province as on 1999/10/31.

2. Percentage and number of prison population participating in these
programmes.
49,6% - 4938 of 9952 prisoners, when all prisoners are accounted for.
71,1% - 4938 of 6941 prisoners if taken into account that 3011 prisoners cannot work due to further charges, insufficient guarding personnel and lack of availability of work opportunities.
3. Shortages with regard to these programmes.
There is not enough work opportunities for inmates from the different Government Departments, such as SAPS, Education and Training, Welfare and Justice. These Departments used to pay for this labour.
4. Income generated from work programmes and how it is applied as on 1999/11/16.
R3 969 013,04 : Income generated is paid back into the Treasury/State Account.
5. What solutions have been implemented?
Permanent financed post establishments and more staff.

N. CORRECTIONAL SUPERVISION AND PAROLE
1. Number of Parolees: 1460
2. Number of probationers: 1463
3. Number of personnel: 196
4. Ratio of members to probationers/parolees: 1:15
5. Mechanisms to monitor prisoners released on Correctional Supervision and Parole.
Probationers/parolees are monitored as prescribed at all 23 Community Corrections offices in the province:
Maximum - 4
Medium - 2
Minimum - 1
* Areas that need to be monitored are easily accessible.
* Number of available vehicles for monitoring purposes is adequate.
6. Number of abscondments in CS/Parole Programmes for 1998 and 1999:
* 1998 - 206
* 1999 - 258
7. Recidivism statistics of persons released on CS/Parole:
The Community Corrections Computerised System does not make provision for this information yet, but the possibility of capturing this data on computer is under investigation. According to members a non-scientifical recidivism rate of 85%, since the system was implemented in 1991, is available. This matter is of National concern.
8. Problems and shortages.
The communications networks are not sufficient for all the community corrections offices. This problem has been addressed as needs have been given through to Head Office. The erection of more repeaters is of utmost importance to improve reception. It is the responsibility of the Department of Public Works.
Problems in obtaining ID photos are experienced, since probationers/parolees do not have ID documents and money for photos. A need for digital cameras is under investigation and a request for Information Technology Committee approval has been launched and forwarded to the Directorate of Information Technology for Correctional Services. This matter is also of National concern.

O. OTHER ISSUES
1. Identify any key problems in your province.
Overcrowding of prisons: need one (1) prison for unsentenced prisoners at Welkom and one (1) prison for unsentenced prisoners in Central Bloemfontein.
Prisons in need of urgent repair, like Bethlehem, Frankfort, Grootvlei, Heilbron, Lindley and Virginia.
Prisons that need to undergo repair, renovation or expansion, such as Fauresmith, Groenpunt, Senekal, Ladybrand, Wepener, Hennenman, Sasolburg, Ficksburg and Boshof.
One (1) additional post for night-duty at smaller prisons has been approved. Finances is needed.
Based on the ratios, there are shortages of trained professional staff such as social workers, educationists, pharmacists and psychologists.
Arbitration of 26 white supervisors has not been finalised for over a year now.

IDENTIFY ANY PARTICULAR SUCCESSES IN YOUR PROVINCE.
Chaos in Free State before 20 May 1998. The Provincial Commissioner has succeeded in leading his personnel in the way forward
BUA Workshop on 25 and 26 May 1998 for Area Managers and Unions to establish workplace forums.
Tswelopele Worksession on 3 to 5 March 1999 for Area Managers on empowerment.
Workshop for Heads of Prison at Bains Game Lodge on 24 - 25 March 1999 to address unity, empowerment and development.
Kopano Worksession at Gariep Dam on 8 to 9 March 1999 in order to strengthen links amongst PHs.
Kopanang Workshop for Heads of prison on 8 March 1999 in order to focus on their needs and problem areas.
Financial Workshop at Kroonstad from 20 to 24 July 1999 for Area Managers where we discussed, Financial Management, Logistics and Prison Admin.
Painted prisons 75% t make it look more neat and tidy. Six (6) prisons were 100% repainted.
Prize giving function on 1999/07/16 for zero escapes, best financial practices, neatest gardens, best community corrections offices. Forty (40) guest, including the mayor of Bloemfontein, were invited.
Grootvlei won the prize for the best rose garden for government terrains for the second time.
Logistics was the best division for 1998 in the competition for provinces.
Third prize on security and production for 1998 for provinces.
Millennium Project to contribute R100 000,00 for Children’s Project by the Provincial Government.
19 March 1999 : Sportsgala for previous year’s presentations. Certificates were handed out.
30 April 1999 : Networking with media : SABC TV and radio, BBT Stereo, Volksblad and Express.
1998/12/15 - 60 Blankets were donated to deserving community organizations.
1998/12/15 - 120 Wooden beds were donated to for an old age home in Kroonstad.
1999/05/25 - 40 Blankets were were donated to Ipopeng pre-primary school at Fauresmith.
1999/06/21 - 133 Blankets were donated to Ficksburg Sunshine Trust.
1999/06/21 - 157 Filt mats were donated to the Orange Women Organization
1999/07/05 - 160 Wooden beds were donated to the Orange Women Organization.

3. RECOMMENDATIONS.
We are covered with most of our problem areas and our approach for next year, by all of the staff of the Free State Province, will be a hands-on one.