Alliance for Crime Prevention Position Paper on Corrections

Source: (2003) South Africa: Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. Downloaded 21 May 2004.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) and what is known as “social crime prevention”. In other words, does the DCS have an obligation or task towards those social, economic and environmental factors that are conducive to crime, and if they do, what should its approach be? Most crimes are committed outside of prisons where it affects the free population and the question needs to be asked if DCS has any responsibilities outside the walls of the prison. Logically the answer is yes, but in practical terms, the answer is more complicated. The realities of community life, poverty, development and politics make it starkly different from the prison set-up where the DCS is in control of the situation. This paper will explore this relationship between the DCS and social crime prevention looking at a number of themes: the contextual background of the DCS; legislative, policy and practice gaps; the Draft Green Paper on Corrections (DGP); social exclusion and inclusion; opportunities for the future. (excerpt)