The correctional services department is concerned about the high influx of young people into the system, Correctional Services Minister Ben Skosana said on Friday.
Introducing debate on his budget vote in the National Assembly, he said there were 29 951 young people (18 and under) in the system -‒ 14 573 were awaiting trial, while 15 378 had been sentenced. A further 208 infants lived with their mothers in prison.
”Every child is entitled to protection, and we as a department believe that no child belongs in prison.
”However, if they are in the circumstances in which they find themselves, every one of us has the responsibility to ensure that they too are reserved a place in the sun,” he said.
Skosana said overcrowding in prisons remained one of the biggest challenges facing the department.
”Overcrowding has a negative effect on our operations as it impacts on staff morale due to unacceptable working conditions, the health of offenders, effective safe custody and the ability of the department to allocate resources effectively for rehabilitation of offenders, and results in abnormally high maintenance costs of prison facilities.”
The latest available figures showed the prison population was 187 748. Prison capacity remained 110 874, and thus overpopulation was 78 874, or 71,1%.
”South Africa was last year classified as the fourth most aggressive jailer in the world after the United States, Russia and Belarus,” he said.
”However, we are encouraged with the allocation of R900,6-million for our capital works projects.
”This figure provides for the construction of four new facilities with a capacity of 3 000 each within this MTEF (medium-term expenditure framework) period.”
These projects were expected to begin later this year, and the facilities would be operational by the 2005/2006 financial year.
They would be the first examples of ”New Generation” low-cost, affordable prison design, unveiled in August last year.
A recently established justice, criminal procedure and security (JCPS) cluster overcrowding task team, led by correctional services, was constantly monitoring the performance of the criminal justice system in relation to the accused and sentenced individuals, to identify the blockages that result in increased prisoner numbers, he said.
”We remain committed to our vision of being among the first in the world in delivering correctional services with integrity and commitment,” Skosana said. – Sapa