DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
Department of
Correctional
Services
DIRECTORATE: SUPERVISION (Probationers &
Parolees)
Briefing to Select Committee on Correctional Services
on Community Corrections
INTRODUCTION
The Department exercises supervision and control over offenders
and persons who have been sentenced to or placed under correctional and parole supervision in the
community as well as the re-integration of offenders into the community.
Department of
Correctional
Services
DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS
Correctional Supervision
Correctional Supervision is a community based
sentence, which is served by the offender in the
community under the control and supervision of
correctional officials and/or volunteers. Such
offenders are subjected to conditions, which
have been set by the court or the Parole Boards
in order to protect the community and prevent
relapse into crime. Persons who are serving
sentences of Correctional Supervision are
called
Department of
Correctional
probationers.
Services
DEFINITION : CONTINUE
Parole Supervision
Parole refers to that portion of the sentence
of imprisonment which is served in the community under the control and supervision of
correctional officials subject to conditions
which have been set by the Parole Boards.
Correctional and parole supervision are collectively referred to as Community Corrections.
Department of
Correctional
Services
BASIC STATISTICS
Community Corrections Population is
reflected as follows:
Probationers :
Parolees
:
Total
:
26 018
50 582
76 600
Department of
Correctional
Services
BASIC STATISTICS
Positions at Community Corrections
Correctional officials
: 1 787
Social Workers
: 165
The per capita cost of keeping a person in
prison is R103.69 per day.
The per capita cost of keeping a person in
the Community Corrections system is
R10.21 per day
Department of
Correctional
Services
CONDITIONS
• To exercise the necessary supervision
and control over offenders in the system
of Community Corrections, the following
conditions are set for offenders.
• Monitoring
• House detention
• Rendering of Community Service
• Seeking of employment
Department of
Correctional
Services
CONDITIONS
• Payment of victim compensation
• Takes part in need-based programmes
• Restricted to one or more Magisterial
Districts
• Live at a fixed address
• Refrain from the use/abuse of
alcohol/drugs
Department of
Correctional
Services
CONDITIONS
• Refrain from committing a criminal
offence
• May not violate any conditions
Department of
Correctional
Services
ADHERENCE TO CONDITIONS
• Probationers and parolees are subjected to one
of five different phases, namely Phase I to V.
• These phases determine the degree of strictness of the conditions to which probationers
and parolees are subjected.
• Monitoring officials exercise control over them
by means of physical contact to the workplace,
home or place at which community service is
rendered.
Department of
Correctional
Services
DEALING WITH VIOLATIONS
If an offender violates a condition, the
following actions may be taken:
• Verbal warning
• Written warning
• Final warning
• Change of conditions
• Issuing of G306-warrant
Department of
Correctional
Services
Transformation of Community Corrections
CURRENT
IDEAL FEATURES
Determine suitability of •Victim should be conoffender for placement
sidered & consulted in
in the system of
community corrections determining the suitability of the placement
of an offender in the
system of Community
Corrections
Department of
Correctional
Services
Transformation of Community Corrections
CURRENT
IDEAL FEATURES
At present the
Supervision
Committee is
composed of officials
of the Department
Consideration should
be given to inputs by
members of forums to
deal with offenders by
the supervision
committee
Department of
Correctional
Services
Transformation of Community Corrections
CURRENT
IDEAL FEATURES
At present monitoring
Tracing units should
be established at every
community correction
office to deal with the
tracing of absconders
officials are tracing
absconders
Department of
Correctional
Services
Transformation of Community Corrections
CURRENT
IDEAL FEATURES
At present the
The media, brochures
and forum meetings
should be effectively
utilized to market
alternative sentencing
options
marketing process is
not effective
Department of
Correctional
Services
Transformation of Community Corrections
CURRENT
IDEAL FEATURES
Previously all
New classification
system which entails
more privileges has
been developed.
Offenders are now
admitted according to
the potential risk they
pose to society.
offenders were
admitted to the
maximum category.
Department of
Correctional
Services
Transformation of Community Corrections
CURRENT
IDEAL FEATURES
Not all offices are
accessible to all
offenders
Community
Corrections are being
decentralized to make
them more accessible
to all offenders and to
deal more effectively
with complaints and
requests
Department of
Correctional
Services