DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
Department of
Correctional
Services
Transforming prisons into correctional centresplaces of new beginnings
1
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
Strategic Direction
Department
of
Correctional Services
2004-5
2
AIM OF DCS
“The purpose of the correctional system is to
contribute to maintaining and protecting a just,
peaceful and safe society by —
(a) enforcing sentences of the courts in the
manner prescribed by this Act;
(b) detaining all prisoners in safe custody whilst
ensuring their human dignity; and
(c) promoting the social responsibility and human
development of all prisoners and persons subject
to community corrections.” (Correctional
Services Act, Act No 111 of 1989)
3
LEGAL MANDATE
MANDATE IS DRAWN FROM:
RSA Constitution
National Crime Prevention Strategy
White Paper On Corrections In South Africa
Correctional Services Act 111/98
Regulations
Subordinate Policy
Institutional Orders
4
IMPACT OF MANDATE
Safe custody to protect society
 Escapes undermine core business - grave
offences
Humane conditions of custody
 Violation of offender rights undermines core
business - grave offences
Promotion of social responsibility
 Corruption & social irresponsibility undermine
core business - grave offences
Promotion of human development
 Frustration of offender development
undermines core business - grave offences
5
TRANSFORMATION 1993 - 2000
• Alignment of Department with human rights
culture due to 1993 Interim Constitution
• 1994 White Paper
• Appointment of Inspecting Judge
• Affirmative Action process
• Approval of National Crime Prevention Strategy
in 1996
• Demilitarization 1 April 1996
• New Constitution in 1996 & Bill of Rights
• New Correctional Services Act in 1998
6
STRATEGIC REALIGNMENT SINCE 2000
• Rehabilitation placed at center of all DCS activities
• Overhaul of internal strategic planning
• Unit Management mainstreamed as vehicle for
rehabilitation
• Reconceptualizing of Rehabilitation in 2001
• New corporate culture to support rehabilitation &
correction
• Correction as holistic process
• DCS is State’s agent in correction
• Upgrade DCS involvement in integrated
governance
7
VISION & MISSION
• To be one of the best in the world in delivering
correctional services with integrity and commitment
• To deliver a Correctional Service in partnership with
stakeholders by providing:
• Incarceration of prisoners under conditions
consistent with human dignity;
• Rehabilitation and reintegration programmes,
• Proper supervision of persons under community
corrections
• procurement and acquisition of adequate
resources which enable effective response to
challenges
Through progressive management, trained
personnel, sound work ethics, performance
8
management and good governance.
CORE VALUES
DCS Core Values necessary for rehabilitation
orientation of department and members:
• Development
• Integrity
• Recognition of human dignity
• Efficiency
• Accountability
• Justice
• Security
• Equity
9
WHITE PAPER ON
CORRECTIONS IN SA
 Motivation for new white paper
 History of transformation of dept
 Correction as societal responsibility
 Objectives of correctional system
 Approach to correctional administration and
management
 Integrated governance
 Who are South Africa’s offenders
 Ideal correctional official in appropriate
organizational culture
10
WHITE PAPER cont’d
 Government’s responsibilities towards ATDS
 Needs-based intervention plan & parole
 Safety, security & human dignity as part of
rehabilitation
 Special categories of offenders
 Appropriate & cost effective facilities
 External partnerships
 Governance & administration
11
IMPLEMENTATION OF WHITE PAPER
 Development of phased & costed implementation
plan
 Alignment of strategic and operational planning
with White Paper Implementation Plan
 Development of institutional capacity for delivery
on White Paper
 Paradigm shift of 34 000 members
 Alignment of work of relevant Govt Departments &
strategic partners with White Paper
12
DCS LONG TERM STRATEGY
TWO PILLARS
Promotion of Correction
As a Societal Responsibility
(2)
DCS as an
Institution of
Rehabilitation
(1)
13
DCS AS INSTITUTION OF
REHABILITATION
Transformation from prison service to correctional
service
 Institutional practices directed at offender
 Institutional practices with dept administration
 Management practices
 Processes & systems
 Employee profile
 Management of external relations – other
government departments & service providers &
stakeholders
14
PROMOTION OF CORRECTION
AS SOCIETAL RESPONSIBILITY
 Reduction of new offending from society
 Families & communities must address causes
of crime & must have correcting influence prior
to involvement of criminal justice system
 Active support of DCS internal programmes
 Support for parolees & people serving
community service sentences
 As accredited service providers (jointly with
DSD)
 Family support / visits
 Active support for re-entry or restoration of
released people into society
 As families, employers, community structures 15
SERVICE DELIVERY RANGE
CC
Development
CC
CCO
Correction
Person under
Correction
CCO
CCO
Facilities
CC
CC
Care
CCO
Security
CC
CCO
After Care
16
RESPONSIBILITIES TO MEMBERS
Training &
Development
Management
Information Flow
Maintenance &
Benefits
Facilities
Recruitment
& Induction
Correctional
Official
Exit
Management
17
EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS
International
Relations
Parliamentary
Legislative
Structures
CBOs, NGOs,
FBOs
Community
Family
DCS
Educational
Institutions
Private Sector
Social Sector
Cluster
Criminal
Justice
Cluster
18
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
2004/5
1. Policy Implementation
2. Improve Compliance with Internal Control Policies
3. Implement Intervention Programs
4. Implement HRD Strategy
5. Improve Correction Administration
6. Improve Departmental Administrative Capacity
7. Improve Communication and build relations with
External Stakeholders
8. Improve Information and Decision Management
support
19
MINISTER
DEPUTY MINISTER
Commissioner
Corrections
Development & Care
Corporate Services
Central Services
HIGH LEVEL
ORGANISATIONAL
STRUCTURE
Finance
6 Regional Commissioners
20
DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAMMES
1. Administration
Provide the administrative, management, financial,
ICT, service evaluation, investigative and
support functions required for all service
delivery by the department and in support of
the functions of the Ministry.
21
DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAMMES
2. Corrections
Provide needs-based correctional sentenced plans
for all persons who have been sentenced to
community correctional supervision or remand in a
correctional centre and paroled prisoners, based on
the assessed security risk and criminal profile of
individuals, focussing on the individual’s specific
offence, and targeting all elements associated with
the offending behaviour/s.
22
DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAMMES
3. Security
Maintain the well being of incarcerated persons by
providing for physical fitness, nutrition, social links
with families and society, spiritual and moral well-
being, psychological well-being and health care,
based on their needs.
23
DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAMMES
4. Facilities
Provide, maintain and upgrade the physical
infrastructure required for those legally entrusted to
the Department’s care, as well as what is required by
personnel; aiming at ensuring that facilities are
available to meet the Department’s rehabilitation
responsibilities and objectives
24
DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAMMES
5. After Care Provide services to persons
completing their sentences, to facilitate their
effective reintegration into their communities and
to promote general social acceptance of offenders.
25
DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAMMES
6. Development
Provide opportunities for social development and
the development of social conscience including
vocational and technical training, recreation,
sports, and education opportunities, to promote
the development of personal and social
competencies that will enable incarcerated
offenders to reintegrate into communities as
productive citizens
26
DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAMMES
7. Care
Maintain the well being of incarcerated persons
by providing for physical fitness, nutrition, social
links with families and society, spiritual and
moral well-being, psychological well-being and
health care, based on their needs.
27
CHALLENGES FACING DCS
IMPROVED HUMAN RESOURCE CAPACITY
• Retraining of members
• Recruitment of appropriate human resources &
orientation
• Compliance with policy & corruption prevention
• Corruption investigation and sanction
• Management of employee stress and morale
28
CHALLENGES FACING DCS
IMPROVED MANAGEMENT OF ACCOMODATION
 Management of overcrowding
 Improved operational cooperation within IJS re
case backlogs, bail, appropriate sentencing
 Improved ATD administration and inmate tracking
 Migration plan of ATDs to Ministry of Justice
responsibility
 Planning for accommodation impact of minimum
sentences
 Transfer of children to secure care faciltieis and
implementation of Child Justice Bill
29
CHALLENGES FACING DCS
CORRECTION, DEVELOPMENT AND CARE
SERVICES
• Rehabilitation – correction and development - of
prisoners
• Community involvement - Social Restoration and
Reintegration
• Needs of special categories of offenders
• Management of HIV/AIDS and other health issues
30
CHALLENGES FACING DCS
IMPROVED MANAGEMENT OF SECURITY AND
FACILITIES
 Reduction of escapes
 Improvement of safety of offenders
 Renovation of DCS facilities to be appropriate for
rehabilitation services
 Appropriate use of Technology – inmate
tracking, security equipment
 Transformation of institutional “Prison Culture”
and prison violence
31
CHALLENGES FACING DCS
IMPROVED ADMINISTRATION AND
INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY
 Managing information as a strategic resource
 Effective, efficient and systematic approach to
creating, using and preserving information
 Integrated information management system to
support all DCS processes
 Compliance with policy and procedures
 Ensuring evidence-based (research driven)
programmes and interventions
32
THANK YOU
33
Correctional Services values your role in
breaking the cycle of crime: in making
rehabilitation work.
Thank you
Together we can strengthen the social compact
against crime, for a better life.
34