Department of

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DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
Department of
Correctional
Services
BRIEFING BY THE REGIONAL COMMISSIONER OF EASTERN
CAPE
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ACHIEVEMENTS ON KEY STRATEGIES ON OPERATIONAL PLAN

• KEY STRATEGIES
• ROLL OUT OF WHITE PAPER
  
• ACT REGULATIONS

• PROGRESS
• Progress made in the region by empowering the
  following categories
• All Regional Office staff, Area
  Coordinators Development and Care, ,Area
  Coordinators Corrections, Religious Services,
  Nutrition, Education, Social Work Services,
  Nurses
• Community Corrections, Facilitators in
  areas have been capacitated to continue with the
  roll out of the above.
• The following officials have bee empowered
• Area Commissioners Heads Correctional
  Centres, Area Coordinators Community Corrections
  Personnel, Regional Heads, Regional Coordinators,
  DRC, HRD Officials (train the trainer),
  Disciplinary officials and case presenters, Heads
  of independent units, Continued orientation and
  awareness sessions are conducted with all other
  levels of personnel at all meetings

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CONTINUE.

• KEY STRATEGY
• AUDITING OF VACANT POST
• ACCESSIBILITY OF CARE SERVICES TO ALL OFFENDERS
  IN NEED OF SERVICES
• DEVELOP SENTENCE PLANS TO INFORM NEED BASED
  PROGRAMMES

• PROGRESS
• All posts have been audited and vacant posts have
  been reported to Head Office.
• The following posts are in the process of filling
  before the 1st of September 2004
• Nurses (88), Educationists (45),
• Social Workers (31), Entry Level Correctional
  Officials (147),
• Regional Coordinator Health Care (1), Regional
  Coordinator Employee Relations (1), Regional
  Coordinator Communication (1)
• All centres/ units have a social worker
  appointed.
• 80 Spiritual and Moral Care Clerk trained on
  Mode of Intervention
• Accreditation of programs and service providers
  is in progress in the region

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CONTINUE.

• KEY STRATEGIES
• REVISE INSPECTION TOOLS TO ASCERTAIN RELIABILITY
  AND VALIDITY
• CO-ORDINATION AND INTEGRATION OF ALL SERVICES AND
  PROGRAMMES ON DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN RELEVANT
  COMPONENTS TO ENHANCE SERVICE DELIVERY
• PROVISIONING OF QUALITY AND EFFECTIVE DEVELOPMENT
  PROGRAMMES

• PROGRESS
• In the first phase of process.
• Inmates prefer to be involved in technical skills
  programmes. Refer to the attached statistics
  hence the low statistics in mainstream education
  e.g. grade 10 11.
• Basic Literacy project has been launched in
  partnership with South African National Literacy
  Initiative.
• We are in the process of twining our DCS centers
  with the nearby schools in partnership with the
  Provincial Department of Education in the region.
• 33 Educators are in a process of being employed
• Currently busy with In-house accreditation for
  Quality Assurance by the External Service
  Providers
• Improvising by making use of multi-purpose halls
  and holding cells as classrooms

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CONTINUE

• KEY STRATEGIES
• TO IMPROVE TRAINING OF OFFENDERS IN SKILLS
  DEVELOPMENT AND INCREASE THE PRODUCTION IN THE
  WORKSHOP
• PROVISION OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES.

• PROGRESS
• Two workshops in the region have been given
  targets for involvement in programmes.
• Fast tracked process of procurement of equipment
  to ensure full operation of workshops.
• Partitioning of Workshop to accommodate maximum
  classified offenders.
• Have encouraged female offenders to engage in
  other training, rather than the traditional.
• Health facilities are established in each centre
  / unit
• 95 of nursing personnel is trained in PHC
• 70 of nursing personnel is trained in HIV/Aids
  counseling TB Management
• VCM partnership is established with the
  Department of Health in respect of rolling out of
  ARVs
• Authorization granted to practice PHC by
  Department of Health

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CHALLENGES

• CHALLENGES
• Changing of the mind set of officials in respect
  of the new strategic direction of DCS.
• Fast tracing the finalization of auditing,
  facilitating and accreditation of programmes
  service providers.
• Provision of need based programmes
• Unstructured sport, arts and recreation
  programmes.
• Accreditation of facilities e.g. work shops and
  agriculture
• Libraries not managed by qualified officials and
  not resourced with latest and relevant material
• Unavailability of medical practitioners
• Non retainment of professionals e.g.
  Psychologists, Pharmacists, Professional Nurses

• FUTURE PLANS
• Consistency in education and empowerment of
  officials about in the new direction of the DCS.
• Adhere to the set time lines
• Finalisation of the accreditation process
• Arrangements with relevant agencies
• Structured programmes
• Appoint qualified officials provide resources
• Finalisation of contract agreements with the
  Department of Health
• Place exit strategies in place

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OVERCROWDING
OVERCROWDED SENTENCED FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
AREA CAPACITY ACTUAL MIDDLEDRIFT 411 1386
ST ALBANS MAXIMUM 717 1644 ST ALBANS MEDIM
B 760 1494 UMTATA MAXIMUM 720 1446 MDANTSANE
582 1029 OVERCROWDED UNSENTENCED
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT AREA CAPACITY ACTUAL KING
WILLIAMS TOWN 301 829 MT AYLIFF 85 206 UMT
ATA 725 1987 ST ALBANS MEDIUM
A 1446 2167 LUSIKISIKI 148 352 FLAGSTAFF
64 208 MT FRERE 42 136
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STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS OVERCROWDING

• AWAITING TRAILS
• SENTENCED INMATES

• Utilize Section 62 (f) of the Criminal Procedure
  ActSection 63 (a) Section 276 (1) (i)and (h)
• Plea bargainingMinor offences file a warning,
  admissions of guilt applied
• Address backlog on cases by introducing Saturday
  courts e.g. St Albans
• Pre-Trial services already operating at the
  following places- St Albans Medium A- East
  London Medium B- UmtataTo be introduced at the
  following places- Flagstaff- Grahamstown- Kin
  g Williams Town
• Timeous releases (reintegration starting on
  admission)
• Effective functioning of Case Management
  Committees
• Effective utilization of Community Corrections
  (referrals to court and conversions)
• Enhance relations with the Community especially
  with regard to Support systems
• Effective utilization of available accommodation
  etc

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STATISTICS INVOLVEMENT OF OFFENDERS IN
EDUCATION
   
MANAGEMENT AREA PROGRAM ABET L1-L4 PROGRAM MAINSTREAM GRADE 10-11 PROGRAM MAINSTREAM GRADE 12 RECREATION ACTIVITIES PARTICIPATION   NUMBER OF LIBRARIES PROGRAM TECHNICAL STUDIES PROGRAM DISTANCE LEARNING COMPUTER SKILLS TRAINING       OCCUPATIONAL SKILLS TRAINING
Middledrift   172 54 53 1 333 3 34 17 0 149
Cradock   98 2 7 1904 1 0 03 0 162
East London   219 30 80 1 448 5 122 20 30 165
Sada   168 0 9 245 0 0 05 0 168
St.Albans   164 30 33 2 069 3 145 10 15 210
Umtata   256 0 04 571 2 83 21 15 192
Lusikisiki   244 20 34 376 0 0 0 0 159
Kirkwood   32 23 22 640 1 0 0 0 82
Regional Total   1 353 159 242 8 586 14 384 76 60 1 287
Regional Target   900 500 300 5 000 17 300 30 60 1 000
Extent of involvement 150.3 31.8 80.6 171.7 82.4 128.0 253.3 100.0 128.7
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WORKSHOP AGRICULTURE STATS
EAST LONDON MANAGEMENT AREA
PROGRAM POTTERY PROGRAM WOODWORK PROGRAM SEWING PROGRAM GLASS PAINTING PROGRAM FABRIC PAINTING PROGRAM CUTTING TOTALS LOCK-UP
Total number of offenders participating 15 13 38 10 18 20 114 3244
ST.ALBANS MANAGEMENT AREA
WELDING SPRAY PAINTING TEXTILE MACHINE OPERATORS MANUFAC-TURING OF OFFICE FURNI-TURE REPAIRS ON VEHICLES PANEL BEATERS TOTALS LOCK-UP
Total number of offenders participating 17 3 54 8 18 3 3 106 6651
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PROVISION OF COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE
Each Unit has a health facility with basic Health
equipment.- HIV/AIDS - Education and awareness
program in place.- 262 Offenders trained as
Peer Educators and 4 Registered nurses trained
as Master trainers in HIV/AIDS.- VCT sites are
available at all centres or units.- ARV
roll-out offenders on treatment are referred to
Provincial hospitals.
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SECURITY SAFETY OF INMATES

• Escapes 25
• Prison Violence
• Suicides

• January to August 2004
• Prison 15Work teams permanent member
  6Work team temporary member 1Public
  hospitals 2Court 1During escort 02
  deaths at St Albans, 1 of which was gang fight
• None in 2004

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WORKING CONDITIONS
Working conditions are in most cases acceptable
to members, except at some Correctional Centres
in the rural areas which are not sufficiently
resourced, eg. Office space and
furniture. Transport between residence and work
place is also of a major concern as members that
report for second watch are exposed to attacks
and muggings whilst on their way to work. The
DCS policy on transport between residence and
work place should be revised to accommodate such
members, even if it means that members have to
contribute towards such service. Members apply
for positions at any institution and once they
are in the service they want to move closer to
their families. This is contrary to the contract
they sign and they do not want to accept a
situation where their applications for transfers
are disapproved. Decisions on transfers are
based on merit due to the fact that we have an
equity policy to adhere to. The implementation
of the OSH Act is also a matter of concern.
Currently there are no full time members
responsible and it is done on an ad-hoc basis.
No job description is available for such post
which leaves a grey area in addressing certain
issues, eg. Work place safety, etc.
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STAFF MORALE
The morale of the staff is not what it should be.
See our strategy as below CAUSES
IDENTIFIED Overcrowding (unsafe conditions). High
stress level (unsafe environment, new approaches
cause stress to old officials). Non-availability
of promotion policy (stagnation, external
appointments without relevant experience, eg. a
member from external who is on the level of SCO
gets appointed as a director, but this is not
allowed internally). Sudden reduction of weekend
post establishment. Unsafe working environment
(inferiority complex due to category of inmates,
lack of assertiveness amongst officials). Transfor
mation (old members resist change). Non-financed
structure and slow filling of positions. Filling
of EAP posts critical. Judge White Commission
report (effect thereof).
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IMPORTANCE OF WELL-BEING OF EMPLOYEES IN THE WORK
PLACE
SOCIAL ARGUMENT Staff spends at least half of
their time at work or in getting to or leaving
it. They contribute to the organization when
they are reasonably free from worry, and they
feel that when they are in trouble, they are due
to get something from the organization. People
are entitled to be treated as full human beings
with personal needs, hopes and anxieties they
are employed as people they bring themselves to
work, not just their hands, and they cannot
readily leave their troubles at home. This
emphasizes the need for EAP at work (functional
unit). CHALLENGES Non-existence of the EAP
Advisory Committee on Regional level meet to
discuss and give guidance to Area Managers and
functional EAP units at Area Commissioners
Level. PROGRESS Currently overloading social
workers employed for offenders for emergencies
and refer staff to own psychologists and
psychiatrist thus exhausted medical aid.
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DISCIPLINE

• According to this offices records, the
  discipline of officials are in line with normal
  human resource practices.
• Comparing the statistics with the personnel
  composition, it is clear that it only represent
  1.
• Most of the reasons for disciplinary actions are
  as follows
• Uncommunicated absence
• Alcohol misuse
• Breaching of internal security arrangements
• Managers strive to ensure that discipline is
  complied with according to the disciplinary code.
  Problems experienced in this regard is as
  follow
• Role players not adhering to time frames.
• Consistency in decision taking eg uncommunicated
  absence for continuous period of 21 days one
  official gets dismissed whilst another only
  received a written warning.
• The relations between management and stakeholders
  are good and regular meetings are taking place.

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TRAINING ACTIVITIES ALREADY CONDUCTED 1 APRIL
2004 TO DATE

• Roll out of White Paper
• Act And Regulations
• Logistical Training
• HIV/Aids peer Education
• Anti-retroviral Workshop
• VOL counseling Testing
• Pre-screening assessor
• Assessor Training
• Training in Custodial Duties
• Training in Performance Management
• Transport Clerk Workshop

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ANTI CORRUPTION STRATEGY FOR REGION

• REGIONAL STRATEGY IN PLACE
• AREA COMMISSIONERS CURRENTLY ADAPTING THE
  STRATEGY TO THEIR AREAS