SA Prisons Might Run Out Of Beds Because Of The Rising Crime Rates. The increasing crime numbers and the increase in life sentences given in South Africa may mean that there won’t be enough space for the criminals in South African jails.
The increasing crime numbers and the increase in life sentences given in South Africa may mean that there won’t be enough space for the criminals in South African jails. The Department of Correctional Services has stated that it is concerned about over-crowding in jails which is steadily increasing. The increase has been shown by the recent crime stats.
The Department of Correctional Services has been coerced into being innovative with working with this issue. The Department is also looking at a number of measures in relieving the pressures of incarceration because of the rising crime levels. The Department of Correctional Services also thinks that the court system should think of other types of punishment other than moving the people who have been found guilty to prison. According to reports, the department says for example, the crimes that are not too serious should be given community correctional supervision.
The department also allegedly wants to argue on whether jailing is the most effective type of rehabilitation for some of the criminals. The department wants to relook the cases of those who were apprehended for less serious crimes and given fines, but were sent to prison because they couldn’t be able to pay the fines. Singabakho Nxumalo, the Department of Correctional Services spokeperson, says they have to be ready for the probability of prisoners being more than the number of beds that the department has.
The Department spokesperson says,“Even more pressing is that overcrowding challenges could become a norm in some correctional centres if not managed properly. What cannot be undermined is that overcrowding in correctional facilities could lead to poor conditions, thus making it difficult to create and maintain humane conditions, which will adversely hamper the mandate of rehabilitating inmates.” According to the minister of Justice and Correctional Service, Ronald Lamola, in March 2019 prisons across the nation were overcrowded by about 37%.
The overcrowding can’t be deducted by the Department of Correctional Services because they don’t have the lawful power to do so. The Department of Correctional Services says that the department has been working on growing bed spaces. “High crime levels in the country are a concern to everyone. DCS [Department of Correctional Services] has been working on increasing the bed space in order to relieve pressure from the overcrowded facilities, especially those in the metros,” says Singabakho Nxumalo. The department has been working on increasing the number of beds and constructing new jails. There are three assignments that are set to be finished in September 2019.
by Alexandra Ramaite
