PRESENTATION ON THE
IMPORTANCE OF HALF WAY HOUSE
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
A A NESENGANI
DATE: 16TH JULY 2015
INTRODUCTION
• Correctional Services Act number 111, of 1998 and its
amendments states that the National Commissioner may allow
community organizations, Non Governmental Organization and
religious denominations , or organizations to interact with
sentenced offenders in order to facilitate the rehabilitation and
integration of the offenders into the community Section 13 (7)(a)
• Chapter 13 of the White Paper
INTRO CNTD
• One of the conditions of offenders to be released on
parole is that they must have a monitor able address and
a support system. The address must be confirmed by a
correctional official.
• The then Minister mandated the Department to start a
process of establishing half way houses.
• Relationship are managed through Service Level
Agreement.
PURPOSE
- To enhance the utilization of halfway houses as an
alternative to non custodial sentencing.
- To invite the Non Profit Organization to participate in the
process of halfway house.
MANDATE
 Constitution of South Africa
 Correctional Services Act 111, 1998, section 16
 Halfway house policy
 White Paper on Corrections 2005
DEFINITION
• Halfway house – Community based residential facilities for
probationers and parolees without monitorable address or
support system.
• Support system- This refers to next of kin or extended family
and friends which constitute a conducive environment outside a
correctional center for a parolee or probationer not to reoffend or
return to the life of crime without any extra burden of abuse one
to violate his condition or go back to the life of crime or reoffend.
• NPO- Non Profit Organization
• Partnership- A regulated relationship between the Department of
Correctional Services and any organization that need to assist
the Department in the rehabilitation of offenders.
DEFINITIONS
• Parolee is a person serving part of his or her sentence
within the community.
• Correctional and Parole Supervision serve as an
alternative to imprisonment and are collectively referred to
as Community Corrections.
• Probationer refers to a person who is serving a sentence of
correctional supervision, and was sentenced by a court of
law to correctional supervision or has been placed on
correctional supervision by the Commissioner of
Correctional Services or his/her delegate
MODEL AND PRINCIPLES OF HALF WAY HOUSE
• Dcs explored on two option: to establish a halfway house owned
by the Dcs or.
• To form partnership
• Desk top research was conducted and experiential visit was
undertaken to international countries.
• Halfway house shall not be an extension correctional centres
• Parolees to be involved in structured programmes
• PARTNERSHIP WAS THE OPTION APPROVED
As part of this initiative, two options as to the optimal approach have been proposed, each relating to
the degree of autonomy and control that DCS has in the running of the Halfway Houses
Option 1
Option 2
Partnership with NGOs running Halfway
Houses
Pro’s
 Expertise already in place
 International research and
local experience suggests
more effective integration
and therefore success
 Coordination within
community itself by virtue
of being NGOs
 Family environment as
opposed to institutional
environment
Cons
 Image of DCS linked to an
entity which is not DCS
 Small numbers
DCS-run Halfway Houses
Pro’s
Cons
 Facilities under DCS control  Potentially not as effective
 Numbers can be greater
 Numbers are greater but
 No reliance on outside
facilities could be
agencies
geographically limited
 Staff maintain security
attitude and institutional
setup makes rehabilitation
more difficult
 Uniforms in community
makes engagement more
difficult
As such, Option 1, namely a partnership between DCS and NGO, is the recommended approach
According to best practice, the application of the “8 Principles of Effective Intervention” in
the halfway house system is critical to realise the greatest recidivism reductions
8 Principles of Effective Intervention
1
Enhancement of reintegration
and rehabilitation
 Halfway houses should provide reintegration and rehabilitation through treatment of probationer
and parolees
Assess Offender Needs
 Assess criminogenic needs (dynamic risk factors) of parolees using research based instruments, with
the goal of programming to diminish needs
Design Responsivity into
Programming
 Programming should account for individual offender characteristics that interfere with or facilitate
an offender’s ability and motivation to learn
Develop Behaviour Management
Plans
 Individual programming should occur in the context of a larger behaviour management plan
developed for each offender, which includes the priority and sequence of treatment programmes,
the means for measuring treatment gains and the goals for a crime-free lifestyle
2
3
4
5
6
Deliver Treatment with CognitiveBased Strategies
Motivate & Shape Offender
Behaviours
7
8
 Research indicates that cognitive behavioural treatments are more effective than any other form
of correctional intervention because these treatment types address criminal thinking and
behaviours in offenders
 Programming should include structure or capacity for rewarding positive behaviour in addition
to punishing negative behaviour
Engender Community Support
 Offenders immediate family members and the social service agencies in the community - to
which the offender will be returning – must be involved
Identify Outcomes and Measure
Progress
 All programmes should have identified outcomes and integrated methods for measuring
progress towards objectives
Source: “Best Practices Toolkit: Community Corrections and Evidence Based Principles and Practices”, Ohio Department of rehabilitation and Corrections, Feburary 2008
Further research indicates that a successful halfway house initiative revolves around various
fundamental principles, guided by international best practice
Fundamental Principles
1
Leadership &
Implementation
2
3
Staff
 Ongoing training in effective
 A strong network of support
techniques and approaches
for the correctional
in providing treatment is
programme is required, both
required
within the facility and in the
 Quality of supervision,
wider community
provision and the
 The programme leadership
communication of ethical
needs to be on the shop floor
guidelines are critical
and involved in the day-to-day
operations
 Related structures – such as
parole, court and state
structures – need to support
the correctional facility
 There needs to be volunteer
support from the community
and surrounding
neighborhood
4
Offender Assessment
 Fundamental to have a system
of appropriate and effective
risk assessment for actuarial
risks and the needs of
participating offenders,
followed up by good case plans
for individual offenders
 Certain offender
characteristics - such as
marital status, language ability
and reading level – contribute
to the likelihood that an
offender will return, or not, to
criminal activity
 Treatment programme
personnel need to be able to
accurately judge these risks
and take the risks into account
when devising a case plan for
an individual
Source: “UC research points to best practices to reduce recidivism”; 11/07/2011
Treatment
Components
5
Quality Assurance
 The best treatment
 Good programmes monitor
programmes follow a model
themselves and their
that is based upon data-driven participant and track their
evidence of what works and
own recidivism rates
what doesn’t
 Such programmes debrief
 Follow-up is essential, as well frequently to encourage
as having a treatment model
learning
that incorporates appropriate  They conduct exit interviews
rewards and appropriate
of participants and continually
consequences and then
reassess to make sure they’re
following up with those
doing what they’re supposed
rewards or consequences
to
The Halfway House initiative has emerged as a fundamental mechanism by which
DCS can achieve some of its strategic objectives, for a variety of reasons
Benefits of Halfway Houses
•
•
•
•
•
Provides monitorable address and support system and serves as a critical
component of the correctional process
Studies have shown that halfway houses do not contribute to increased crime
rates or to decreased property values
Assists in the re-integration of offenders back into the community – recidivism
rates are low among offenders who are released back into the community
graduallY
Success rates are good for offenders who are released back into the community
through halfway houses
Even among offenders who do not successfully complete periods of conditional
release, the majority of offenders fail because they violate a condition of the
release
“Most criminals are more likely to become law abiding citizens if they participate in a
programme of gradual supervised release” – Correctional Services of Canada
Source: Halfway House: John Howard Society of Alberta
THE ROLE OF HALF WAY HOUSES
• It is a replacement of a family or a home within
the community.
• To cater for parolees and probationers without
support system or monitorable address.
• To enhance the process of successful
reintegrating parolees and probationers
• To act as a bridge between the correctional
centre and the community for those who do not
have support systems
• To provide scheduled programmes that prepares
parolees and probationers for employment.
ROLE OF HALFWAY HOUSE
• To network through NPO s with various
industries for employment.
• To instil family values to parolees and
probationers correctional centres.
• To assist in enhancing moral regeneration to
parolees as part of their preparation for
successful reintegration
•
ROLE OF DCS IN THE HALF WAY HOUSE
• It is the custodian of policy guide to the establishment
of partnership on half way house.
• DCS identifies NPO s to partner with in the
administration of Halfway house.
• DCS pay a stipend to the NPO
• Dcs monitor and supervise parolees and probationers
within the halfway house
• Parolees and probationers are still under the system of
community corrections.
• Each probationer and parolee has a supervision official
ROLE OF DCS IN THE HALFWAY HOUSE
• DCS monitor and evaluate the Non Profit
Organisation and its programme.
• DCS also has meetings with NPO running the
halfway house one a month
• Halfway houses are aligned to management areas
• Referral of offenders is done by the Parole Board
• Disciplinary hearings are conducted by DCS
through Comcorr.
ROLE OF DCS IN THE HALFWAY HOUSE
• DCS can terminate the partnership if the NPO
is not operating according to the Service Level
Agreement.
• A liaison officer was appointed to be the
contact person for the DCS.
Role of CMCs, HCCs, Community Liaison and CSPBs
• To play a supporting role to the stakeholders
CMCs, HCCs and CSPBs
• Assist in terms of identifying suitable and eligible
residents in conjunction with stakeholders
• Ensure that proper classification is done for the
residents of the halfway house
• Assign residents to a monitoring official
• Make recommendations regarding the placement
of offenders on parole or correctional supervision
and the conditions of such placement
Role of CMCs, HCCs, Community
Liaison and CSPBs (cont)
• Review offender profile
• Review security classifications from time to time;
• Update and assess the residents on monthly basis or
when a need arises
• Attend meetings on halfway house issues
• Inform offenders of the contents of reports submitted to
CSPB and afford residents the opportunity to submit
written representations to CSPB
Role of CMCs, HCCs, Community
Liaison and CSPBs (cont)
Community Liaison
• Assist in creating an enabling environment
where a human rights culture is upheld,
reconciliation, forgiveness and healing are
facilitated;
• Residents are encouraged and assisted to
discard negative values, adopt and develop
positive ones which are acceptable to society.
CURRENT PROGRESS
• Six NPO s were partnered with to establish
Halfway houses in six regions
• LMN 3 , Gauteng 1, Eastern 1, Western Cape 2
• 66 parolees and probationers were
reintegrated into their community of origin
• Mostly are permanently employed and shall
not return to the life crime
CURRENT PROGRESS
• Note that all parolees and probationers are
under the system of community corrections
CONCLUSION
• Partnership is a fundamental factor in the
successful reintegration of offenders
THANK YOU
NDAA NDO LIVHUWA U FHIWA
TSHIFHINGA