2005

The Treatment of Children in South African Prisons - A Report on the Applicable Domestic and International Minimum Standards (Research Paper No. 11)

The purpose of this report is to describe the compliance requirements in terms of domestic and international law for the Department of Correctional Services as it pertains to the treatment of children in prison. International law is replete with normative standards applying to the treatment of children in prison. As this research paper focuses on children in prison, the emphasis is placed on the relevant provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UN Rules on Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty, as well as some of the provisions of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners. Further, the Correctional Services Act of 1998 is an important legal framework in the administration of prisons and the treatment of all prisoners, including children. The White Paper on Corrections, released in March 2005 by the Department of Correctional Services, constitutes a comprehensive blueprint augmenting the legal framework in the Act. The report also pays attention to the situation at ground level and identifies particular problem areas. This paper makes a number of observations in relation to the need to upgrade some areas of these domestic laws and policies to ensure compliance with the international law framework. Examples of practical compliance and non-compliance are also highlighted, calling for the need to go beyond progressive laws and policies.

Offender rehabilitation and reintegration: taking the White Paper on Corrections forward (Research Paper No. 10)

This research paper focuses on offender reintegration and based on international and domestic research, interrogates the notion of offender reintegration. In an effort to support the further realization of the White Paper it formulates principles, based on extensive international meta-analysis supported by local research, on what works and what does not work in offender reintegration. It argues for an approach to offender reintegration that is based on knowledge and rigorous in design and, implementation and evaluation.

A study of best practice in prison governance (Research Paper No. 9)

Despite the fact that the Department of Correctional Services has attracted significant media attention as a result of the Jali Commission's investigations, this paper focuses on examples of good governance. The purpose is to demonstrate that despite adverse conditions, individual managers are able to delivery effectively on the department's mandate. The intention is that such examples should be sued for internal learning and replication purposes.

CSPRI Newsletter No. 14 - November 2005

In this issue: Parole pandenonium by Prof. Julia Sloth-Nielsen (senior law professor, UWC); Victims of crime and the parole boards by Lukas Muntingh (senior research, CSPRI); South African prisons at a glance (February 2005 to May 2005)

CSPRI Newsletter No. 13 - September 2005

Find out more about the possible new sentencing principle in the context of HIV/AIDS, access to antiretroviral treatment, as well as an overview of prisons between February 2005 and August 2005.

CSPRI Newsletter No. 12 - August 2005

In this issue: Interview with Dennis Bloem MP, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services; Members of the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services and their contact details; South African prison at a glance

CSPRI Newsletter No. 11 - June 2005

In this issue: Lukas Muntingh talks about the CSPRI project moving over to the Community Law Centre, UWC; Amanda Dissel (CSVR) writes on an intergrated approach to offender reintegration; Frikkie Venter (Mangaung Correctional Centre) touches on the human impact in prisons with regards to HIV/AIDS; Stats in brief

CSPRI Newsletter No. 10 - April 2005

Articles available for download are: Prison reform in Africa: recent trends by Makubetse Sekhonyane (senior researcher for the Crime & Justice Programme, Institute fro Security Studies); The quanitative impact of Minister of Home Affairs v Nicro (Constitutional Court case where the Electoral Laws Amendment Act was declared unconstitutional); South African prisons at a glance, from February 2004 to November 2004.

CSPRI Newsletter No. 9 - February 2005

In this issue: Women and Prisons in South Africa by Prof. Julia Sloth-Nielsen (this article is based on a survey examining the situation of women in South African prisons); South African Prisons at a glance, from February 2004 to October 2004; Farewell to Ahmed Othmani: a passionate defender of human dignity