1% of parolees violate their conditions
South Africa has the highest number of inmates in Africa and the 12th highest in the world, with 18 000 prisoners serving life imprisonment.
Since 2019 just over 99 000 have been released on parole.
Among the latest high-profile parolees was Norman Afzal Simons, dubbed the Station Strangler, who spent his first week of parole in Parow after serving a 28-year sentence.
The Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JIC) Emerentia Cupido, said the public had to be mindful that just one percent of parolees breached their parolees conditions.
She said many factors led to re-offending, such as a lack of supervision: “It is important to acknowledge that no parole system in the world is flawless.”
“It is a known fact that in any penal system with a parole component, a small fraction of parolees may relapse into criminal behaviour.
“Statistics indicate that approximately only 1% of parolees violate their conditions of parole.
“The Department of Correctional Services’ 2021/22 Annual Report indicates that there is a 99% level of compliance to conditions of placement on parole and correctional supervision.
“Importantly, not all of the 1% who violate parole conditions actually commit serious or violent crimes.
“One of the major issues in South Africa is the lack of sufficient supervision and opportunities for parolees once they are released.”
Activists are calling for more interaction between the public before granting a person parole who was sentenced for serious and violent crime, and better supervision.
According to a report via the National Assembly Justice and Correctional Services Portfolio Committee Parliament of the Republic of South Africa in 2022, the total number of prisoners released on parole since March 12019 was 99 146. The number of parolees in breach of parole conditions over this period was 16 112.
The South African Prisoners Organisation for Human Rights (SAPOHR), Golden Miles Bhudu said once prisoners are released on parole they continue to face judgement: “An inmate released to parole/correctional supervision and having a lengthy period of probation ahead is likely, in addition to the prospects of continual harassment by the community corrections officers and police, to acquire a ‘might as well be hanged for the sheep as a lamb’ philosophy.”
“This attitude is a potential danger to the individual parolee in particular and society in general since it fostesr a feeling of recklessness in any situation in which the ex-inmate becomes involved, and which might result in criminal proceedings.”
Cupido agreed, saying the lack of proper rehabilitation and supervision was a problem, and added that prisons were overcrowded with those serving life sentences.
Cupido explained that parole for life imprisonment offenders required permission from the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services.
“Many correctional facilities lack effective rehabilitation programs, leaving parolees unprepared to reintegrate into society after their incarceration,” she said.
“A significant concern for JICS is the inadequate grant of parole to lifers, which, along with mandatory minimum sentences legislation, has resulted in a staggering increase in the number of lifers from 400 in 1995 to over 18,000 in 2022.
“JICS firmly believes that the current system, which necessitates the Minister’s sign-off for each parole recommendation, is cumbersome and unjust, causing intolerable delays and bottlenecks on the Minister’s desk.
“It is worth noting that the National Council for Correctional Services (NCCS), led by a High Court Judge, Judge Brian Mashile, already completes an exhaustive process before making parole recommendations.
“The issue of over-incarceration is a pressing concern.
“Minimum sentencing, particularly life sentences, has led to overcrowding in correctional centres, leading to South Africa having the highest number of inmates in Africa and the 12th highest in the world.”
Child and women rights activist, Candice Van Der Rheede said there should be open communication and tyransparency around parole: “Why is the community not involved in parole decisions as these offenders come and stay in our communities? Why is the amount of parolees not made public?”
-Weekend Argus
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