World Correctional Institutions in the COVID-19 Pandemic

A global analysis of correctional institutions during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

COVID-19 Statistics

South Africa 

Pre-Conviction

Post-Conviction: Parole

Post-Conviction: Decarceration

Number of Individuals Released due to COVID-19 Concerns: Data not Available Number of Individuals Released due to COVID-19 Concerns: 19,000 allowed to sit for a parole hearing and have been authorized for parole status. Out of the 19,000, 6,719 individuals have been released under this plan with the last known statistic available from July 17, 2020 as last reported in Oct. 2020.  Number of Individuals Released due to COVID-19 Concerns: 14,647 low-risk inmates released to community corrections in December 2019. This plan has not been repeated throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic. The current decarceration plan includes continuing to parole individuals from the 19,000 identified as eligible for parole. 
Source: N/A Source: http://www.dcs.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Minister-Lamola-Final-Parole-8-may- 2020.pdf, https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-07-17-6791-inmates-granted-parole-under-lockdown-dispensation/   Source: http://www.dcs.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Minister-Lamola-Final-Parole-8-may-2020.pdf
Last Updated: Oct. 1, 2020 Last Updated: Dec 8, 2020 Last Updated: Dec. 8, 2020

COVID-19 Infections in Correctional Institutions: Incarcerated Individuals

COVID-19 Infections in Correctional Institutions: Administration and Staff

COVID-19 Positive: 2782 COVID-19 Positive: 4627
Recoveries for combined incarcerated individuals and correctional staff: 7157 Recoveries for combined incarcerated individuals and correctional staff: 7157
Fatalities: 57 Fatalities: 74
Source: http://www.dcs.gov.za/ Source: http://www.dcs.gov.za/
Last Updated: Dec. 8, 2020 Last Updated: Dec. 8, 2020 

South Africa

Government Type: Parliamentary Republic 

Provinces: Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, North West, Free State, Kwazulu Natal, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga

Description of the Correctional System Administration: Controlled by the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) which is headed by the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services - as of May 29, 2019, the Minister is Ronald Lamola. 

Correctional Administration in South Africa

Data not available. 

Inmates serving sentences for "sexual offenses, child abuse, murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, sedition, high treason, sabotage, terrorism, offenders declared as dangerous by the court in terms of Section 286 A of the Criminal Procedure Act, 51 of 1977, offenders sentenced to life imprisonment, violations under the Domestic Violence Act, 1998(Act No 116 of 1998), any escaped/absconded inmate who evaded the justice system after being released on 6 bail pending appearance and was still at large on 16 December 2019, those certified as mentally ill and detained in accordance with the Mental Health Act of 2002 (Act 17 of 2002) were excluded from the remission of sentence process." 

Source: http://www.dcs.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Minister-Lamola-Final-Parole-8-may-2020.pdf

 

Challenge Brought Against the Court Regarding South Africas's Inmate Release Plan

"A man sentenced to 25 years in jail for money laundering has failed in his bid to be released on parole as part of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s proclamation to release offenders to ease overcrowding in prisons during the Covid-19 lockdown." 

“This submission by the applicant is not correct. As mentioned above, the purpose of the proclamation was to reduce the prison population in order to lessen practical difficulties experienced by the DCS [department of correctional services] in their efforts to prevent, combat and generally manage the Covid-19 disease,” said judge Pierre Rabie.

Rabie found that the reduction of the prison population was not an arbitrary measure but one that was fully justified.

“The decision to identify sentenced offenders who are low-risk offenders and who have served the bulk of their sentences was, in my view, a reasonable and rational approach, and the manner in which it was done was not arbitrary or irrational,” the court found. This eased the overpopulation in South Africa's prisons from 30.68% to 24.75%.

Source: https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-09-03-prisoner-with-chronic-illnesses-loses-bid-to-be-released-on-covid-19-parole/  

 

Inmates serving sentences for "sexual offenses, child abuse, murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, sedition, high treason, sabotage, terrorism, offenders declared as dangerous by the court in terms of Section 286 A of the Criminal Procedure Act, 51 of 1977, offenders sentenced to life imprisonment, violations under the Domestic Violence Act, 1998(Act No 116 of 1998), any escaped/absconded inmate who evaded the justice system after being released on 6 bail pending appearance and was still at large on 16 December 2019, those certified as mentally ill and detained in accordance with the Mental Health Act of 2002 (Act 17 of 2002) were excluded from the remission of sentence process." 

Source: http://www.dcs.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Minister-Lamola-Final-Parole-8-may-2020.pdf

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