DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES

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DEPARTMENT OFCORRECTIONAL SERVICES
INCEPTION OF NEW CORRECTIONAL SUPERVISION
PAROLE BOARDS
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PURPOSE

• TO INFORM ON IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW PAROLE
  BOARDS WITH REGARD TO FOLLOWING
• Locating parole as part of rehabilitation
  reintegration
• Background information to inception of new
  Boards
• Composition of Correctional Supervision
  Parole Boards
• Criteria for appointment of members of boards
• Competencies
• Appointment procedures
• Nomination of applicants
• Conditions of employment
• Number of boards
• Functions responsibility
• Task team
• Way forward

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BACKGROUND

• During 1996, Minister requested National
  Advisory Council to re-evaluate release
  policies.
• Minister announced that NACOCS proposal would be
  covered in new legislation, which would include
• Correctional Supervision Parole Boards (CSPB)
  to be decentralized structured to include all
  stake holders in Criminal Justice System as well
  as community members.
• Proposed new CSPB to have recommendatory
  decision-making competencies.

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BACKGROUND (cont)

• Draft Correctional Services Bill presented to
  Parliament in 1998
• Correctional Services Act approved by President
  in December 1998.
• Constraints in 1999, ie finances availability
  of personnel, new sections of Act relating to
  CSPB not implementable.

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BACKGROUND (cont)

• Act made provision that members of SAPS DoJ
  be present at board sittings, if not, quorum
  could not be formed to take a decision.
• Section 74 75 of Act made provision that such
  officials must participate on a full time basis.
• During 1999 DoJ SAPS informed Commissioner
  that they did not have manpower funds to
  participate on a full-time basis.
• Department proposed amendments to legislation to
  accommodate SAPS DoJ.

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BACKGROUND (cont)

• Amendments to Act served before National
  Assembly.
• On 14 December 2001 President ascended to
  amendments.
• In 2001/02, Department conducted various work
  sessions in order to be proactive regarding
  future establishment of new Boards.
• Work study report developed on appointment
  process, financial implications, training of
  personnel, logistical procedures geographical
  location of Boards.

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BACKGROUND (cont)

• DCS met with DoJ, NDPP SAPS to determine
  their roles
• Manpower implications for DoJ SAPS must still
  be finalized.
• Late 2002, Minister requested NCCS Chairperson
  to assist DCS with implementation
  establishment process of new CSPB in 2003

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BACKGROUND (cont)

• Work session between NCCS NMB of DCS (1
  April 2003) convened to deliberate on progress
  already made with establishment of new CSPB.
• Clarity was sought on following issues
• A common interpretation of Act
• Alignment of parole with approach to
  rehabilitation
• Identification of key outstanding logistical
  issues

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COMPOSITION OF CORRECTIONAL SUPERVISION PAROLE
BOARDS

• Section 74 of Act 111 specifies composition of
  CSPB as being chairperson, vice chairperson, 2
  members of community 1 official from DCS.
• Act does not specify if chairperson or vice
  chairperson must be appointed from community
  /or Department.
• During work session proposed that Chairperson
  Vice Chairperson be appointed from community.
• Department endorses in long term that
  chairperson vice chairperson should both be
  community members.
• Due to financial constraints, logistical
  arrangements need for transitional arrangement
  from old to new Parole Board to ensure
  alignment of CSPB with new strategic direction
  of DCS, proposal is to appoint Chairperson from
  community Vice Chairperson from DCS as an
  interim, transitional arrangement

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LOCATING PAROLE AS PART OF REHABILITATION
REINTEGRATION

• DCS understanding of rehabilitation as a process
  of correcting offending behaviour, promoting
  social responsibility human development, as
  well as ensuring successful community
  reintegration
• Rehabilitation reintegration are key elements
  of avoiding recidivism
• Incarceration is not always best environment
  for rehabilitation
• Part of rehabilitation is support during
  reintegration process into community
• Parole is
• a control mechanism to assist with
  reintegration of persons into community
• simultaneously a continuation of rehabilitation
  in a community environment

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OUTSTANDING ISSUES

• Work session identified key outstanding issues
  that DCS was tasked to clarify
• Conditions of employment/contract regarding
  community members officials
• Selection Criteria, appointment procedures
  remuneration regarding officials
• Responsibility of CSPB their line function of
  reporting
• Number geographical location of fixed
  roving CSPB.

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DCS PROPOSALS

• DCS Management Board workshop (12 May 2003)
  interrogated outcome of April work session, as
  well as outstanding issues.
• Following slides deal with proposals developed
  for submission to Minister that will form basis
  for establishment implementation of new CSPB
• Note Establishment of CSPB to be part of
  restructuring of DCS. Lines of accountability
  work processes to be determined on basis of new
  organization structure with due cognizance of
  migration plan to new structure necessary
  transitional arrangements

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COMPOSITION OF CORRECTIONAL SUPERVISION PAROLE
BOARDS

• Composition of Board will be as follows for
  purposes of a transitional period
• Chairperson Community member
• Vice chairperson DCS
• x2 Community members Local community
• Secretary DCS
• Police Justice members to be co-opted as
  needed.

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CRITERIA FOR APPOINTMENT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS
Life experience Maturity Work
experience Community involvement Good standing
in community Respected in community / Person
of stature Inspires confidence in entire
community Involvement of local
authorities Integrity Credibility Experience
professionalism in making rational balanced
decisions Commitment to a corruption free
administration a clear record of
honesty Understanding of Correction as a social
responsibility
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COMPETENCIES

• Competencies of CSPB members determined will
  form basis for advertisement appointment
  process
• Key aspects identified as important
• Confidentiality in terms of CSPB meetings,
  decisions documentation
• Preferably legal behavioral science background
• Literacy skills, must understand order of
  procedures at meetings

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APPOINTMENT PROCEDURES

• Develop a communication strategy
• Proposals on post levels, remuneration
  contractual employment have been determined
• A call for nominations applications for
  community posts will be advertised
• Selection panels will be appointed by
  Commissioner for six Regions under
  chairpersonship of respective Regional
  Commissioner, including a member of National
  Council on Correctional Services with a view to
  represent community
• Minister will approve appointment of
  successful candidates DCS personnel

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CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Chairperson 5-year contract, non-renewable
• Community members 3-year contract with
  possibility of one renewal
• Vice chairperson DCS member until transitional
  period has expired
• Job description To be incorporated into final
  submission to Management, National Council
  Minister
• Vetting procedure To be conducted in short
  listing process

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NUMBER OF BOARDS

• At least one board per Area Commissioner / 48
  management areas
• Task Team to look into
• 5 larger management areas where one parole board
  will be insufficient
• Those management areas where geographical
  location of correctional centres is widespread
  with view to establishing roving parole boards

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RESPONSIBILITY OF BOARDS

• Policy framework for CSPB currently being
  finalized by Task Team, prior to final
  submission to Management Board / Minister during
  June 2003
• Parole placement policy to guide decision
  making processes of CSPB to ensure compliance
  with legislation departmental approach to
  rehabilitation is currently being developed.
• CSPB will report outcomes of their deliberations
  to relevant Regional Commissioners office
  (Head Corrections)

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DCS RESPONSIBILITIES TO BOARDS

• For logistical purposes, Area Commissioner
  will provide necessary assistance regarding
  structures administration
• Monitoring component regarding CSPB in Head
  Office will reside under Chief Deputy
  Commissioner Corrections.
• Restructuring Task Team will align new boards
  serving officials on CSPB with process of
  restructuring.
• Regional Commissioner will recommend referral
  of cases to Review Board (NCCS) via submission
  to CDC Corrections
• Referral of cases to Review Board is
  responsibility of Commissioner Minister

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TASK TEAM

• Task team to administer process of
  establishment of new CSPB must be expanded to
  include
• Director Prison Services (Convenor)
• Representative from
• Prison Services
• Development Programs
• Communication Services
• Human Resource Maintenance
• Human Resource Development
• Facilities Management
• Director Financial Planning
• Director Legal Services
• DD Organization Work Study
• Three (3) officials from existing parole boards

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WAY FORWARD

• Current work study report must be revisited
  aligned to include all matters referred to
  above.
• Development of appropriate training for CSPB
  members
• Implementation plan to be developed once work
  study report has been finalized.
• Report implementation plan will serve before
  National Management Board then be forwarded to
  Minister.
• Minister will consult with NCCS Portfolio
  Committee on Correctional Services
• New CSPB will be implemented on basis of
  approval of work study report implementation
  plan by Minister.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!!