DA: Justice must cough up

2003-05-21 16:23

Cape Town - The Democratic Alliance on Wednesday came out in support of the idea that the justice department should pay for awaiting-trial prisoners.

"The department of correctional services finds itself in a desperate funding crisis because far too much of its budget is spent housing these un-convicted and un-sentenced people," DA spokesperson Mike Ellis said in a statement.

The correctional services department was responsible for the secure detention and rehabilitation of convicted criminals.

"If its budget were committed solely to this task, the department would not find itself unable to fill vacant posts, such as the 98 social workers' posts highlighted in media reports over the past two days," he said.

'Scott-free'

Currently, a sentence of correctional supervision effectively "means getting off scot-free".

It also meant that many of those sentenced to correctional supervision would not be rehabilitated, increasing the chances of a return to crime.

"Unless the department can fill its vacancies and increase its capacity, correctional supervision will be unfeasible as a sentencing option.

"Most likely to suffer as a result of these shortages are young offenders, who have the greatest chance of full rehabilitation.

"By making the justice department responsible for the housing of awaiting-trial prisoners, not only do you free up funds for the department of correctional services to focus on its core function, but you also provide justice with an added incentive to improve its efficiency and effectiveness," Ellis said.

Demand payment

Last month, correctional services commissioner Linda Mti threatened to demand payment from police and the justice department to hold awaiting-trial prisoners in the country's jails.

He told Parliament's standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) that government should review whose responsibility it was to house such prisoners.

It cost the department of correctional services R98 a day to hold each prisoner, and exacerbated overcrowding within the already full facilities.

"They should contribute for those that they should be responsible... there is a policy gap as to who should deal with awaiting trial prisoners."

Holding centres

The SA Police Service and department of justice should also look into setting up their own holding centres, instead of sending people to the already full jails.

Mti said South Africa's prisons could hold about 111 000 prisoners, but the current prison population stood at almost 180 000, of whom 68 000 were awaiting trial.

"If you took those prisoners away, we could easily deal with the numbers in prisons... they send them to us, we don't go out and apply for them," he said.

- SAPA