ABCs of running a prison

2003-04-01 22:14

Cape Town - Censoring of inmates' mail and the use of electronic devices to monitor prisoners were some of the practices MPs heard about on Tuesday during a briefing by correctional services officials on the day-to-day running of South African prisons.

The delegation, headed by national commissioner Linda Mti, briefed the portfolio committee on correctional services on departmental regulations and rules.

"The correctional services regulations document is critical, because at the moment the Correctional Services Act III of 1998 is a dry act, with regulations out of step with the act," said Mti.

There was a lack of understanding among correctional services officers, who needed to be informed about the regulations.

"The department of correctional services wants to develop a booklet for each prison head on these regulations: the ABCs of running a prison," said Mti.

The greatest challenge for correctional services was to ensure that all things the department did was within a human rights context.

The regulations detail day-to-day prison management issues such as accommodation - which it says should be "properly ventilated, properly lighted, with proper ablution facilities, hot and cold water and proper beds or bedding in accordance with climatic conditions".

Other matters addressed in detail are exercise, health care, contact with communities, recreation and access to legal advice.

"Some sections (of the regulations) were not ready," said Jenny Schreiner, the chief deputy commissioner of functional services.

These related to nutrition and the provision of three meals a day, disciplinary procedures for prisoners, and community supervision parole boards.

- SAPA