Presentation%20to%20Portfolio%20Committee%20on%20Correctional%20Services

1
Office of the Inspecting Judge

• Presentation to Portfolio Committee on
  Correctional Services
• 1 September 2006
• The Rights and Privileges of inmates and their
  impact on the staff (correctional officials) of
  the Department of Correctional Services

2
Vision of the Judicial Inspectorate of Prisons

• To ensure that all prisoners are detained under
  humane conditions, treated with human dignity and
  prepared for a dignified reintegration into the
  community

3
Current Structure of JIOP
4
Restructuring of the Judicial Inspectorate of
Prisons
5
To consider unresolved complaints with a view to
their resolution

• Current system

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Statutory functions of VC meeting

• To consider unresolved complaints with a view to
  their resolution
• To submit to the Inspecting Judge those
  complaints which the Committee cannot resolve
• To organise a schedule of visits
• To extend and promote the communitys and
  stakeholders interest and involvement in
  correctional matters and
• To submit minutes of meetings to the Inspecting
  Judge.

7
To extend and promote the communitys interest
and involvement in correctional matters

• Current system

Some stakeholders excluded
Funds not available
Meetings not held
RC to busy
8

• Clarity of process How must VCs operate?

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How do we improve the system?

• Clarity of purpose What must the VC do?

• Four pillars
• Must ensure that IPVs visit all prisons in the
  area
• Must ensure that complaints are resolved
• Must identify partners to improve conditions and
  the treatment of prisoners
• Must involve communities in correctional matters

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New JIOP Visitors Committees

• Function as Autonomous Business Units

• Judge will appoint VC Chairperson
• VC will nominate IPVs from local communities
• VC will be assigned budget, powers to resolve
  complaints
• Arrange schedule of IPV visits to ensure all
  prisoners have access to services of JIOP
• Must build partnerships with NGOs, Stakeholders
• Must promote community involvement in
  correctional matters

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How?

• First step Restructure of JIOP to support
  business idea of autonomous VC structures.
• Second step Create the required capacity
• Appointment of VCs
• Budget to support
• Equipment needs
• Office space, etc.
• Third step Implementation
• Fourth step Review and improve

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How do we achieve improvement

• Option two
• Improve system design according to following
  principles.
• Strong community involvement
• Autonomous VC Units
• Empowerment of local communities
• Creating partnerships with community structures
  to resolve problems at local level.

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Option two WHY?

• Inability to manage from one nodal point (Cape
  Town).
• Sustainability of oversight bodies rests in the
  involvement of local communities.
• For the people driven by the people

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IDEAL CORRECTIONAL OFFICAL ORGANISATIONAL
CULTURE (Par 8.2 page 110 114 of White Paper)

• Staff/offender relationship key to rehabilitation
  effective correction management
• Every member is rehabilitator
• New competencies of ideal correctional official
• 7 departmental core values - Development,
  Efficiency, Responsibility, Security,
  Accountability, Justice, Equity
• Align organisational culture with strategic
  redirection with positive outcomes
• Civilian security structure with strong
  social-sector dimension
• Organizational culture that facilitates reduced
  recidivism, re-understanding of frontline
  functions, respect of communities broader
  society

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Rights and Amenities
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Internal Service Evaluation and Eradication and
Prevention of Corruption

• 95 Objectives and functions of internal service
  evaluation(1) The Commissioner must conduct an
  internal service evaluation by means ofinternal
  auditing, performance auditing, inspections and
  investigations to promote theeconomical and
  efficient operation of the Department and to
  ensure that the objectivesand principles of this
  Act are met.Sub-s. (1) substituted by s. 34 (a)
  of Act 32 of 2001. (4) The Commissioner must
  include in the annual report to Parliament, an
  accountof the process and results of the
  internal service evaluation.(5) The Commissioner
  must, on request, send a copy of all internal
  serviceevaluation reports to the Inspecting
  Judge.Date of commencement of s. 95 19
  February 1999.

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The Way Forward

• JIOP to communicate with Commissioner
• JIOP to consider survey by IPVs