Cape Town – Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha says correctional centres will introduce a cellular phone detection technology to curb the smuggling of cellphones to offenders.
The Minister said this when he briefed journalists ahead of tabling his Budget Vote speech in Parliament on Tuesday.
The announcement comes after several incidents where criminals in high profile cases were found in possession of cell phones in their jail cells.
“Issues related to security have been attracting negative publicity for the department.
“We have conducted a number of raids, cleaning our facilities of contraband items, yet more is still needed.
“It is for this reason that we are now installing cellphone detection technology,” he said.
The Minister said the department had completed staff training in seven correctional centres.
“In addition, the Department of Health has granted us a licence to install body cavity scanners.
“Installation has already started in Johannesburg, St Albans, Pollsmoor and Kgosi Mampuru II,” he said.
Minister Masutha said the department was in the process of establishing an integrated inmate management system (IIMS).
He said the system will give the department a single capture and view point of all inmate and offender information in all correctional centres, including the 228 community corrections offices across the country.
Reintegration of offenders a societal responsibility
The Minister called on members of the public to assist the department in reintegrating offenders back into the society by employing them, despite them having criminal records.
He said the department was doing its part by training offenders while they are in custody.
The department has received R15.9 million from the National Skills Fund and this will be used to enhance the provision of technical, vocational and occupational skills to offenders, the Minister said.
A total of 1732 offenders successfully completed their programmes and will be graduating in June 2016.
Also, 25 artisan offenders from the Boksburg Correctional graduated on Tuesday, last week.
“Allow me to acknowledge a small but profound contribution of Talk Radio 702, which secured a job for one of the inmates who recently graduated from Boksburg Correctional Centre.
“We want to see more of these example. Indeed, corrections is a societal responsibility and all of us have to make a positive contribution in giving ex-offenders a second chance in life.
“I always request ex-offenders to disclose their past honestly when applying for employment,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister said for too long, the victims of crime have been left out of the criminal justice system.
He was currently reviewing the effectiveness of the Service Charter for Victims of Crime and the Minimum Standards with the view of assessing the effectiveness of the charter in providing support to the victims of crime.
“To date, we have contracted 63 auxiliary social workers to assist us in the tracing of victims of crime,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
