The Democratic Alliance (DA) has welcomed the viability studies being conducted by the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) into satellite tracking devices which monitor probationers and parolees.
The Parliamentary opposition party says the process however, needs to be speeded up and prioritised as these devices would both enhance rehabilitation and reduce prison overcrowding.
“In response to a parliamentary question … the minister stated that the satellite tracking devices for monitoring probationers and parolees is being investigated,” the DA ‘ prisons shadow minister said in a statement. James Selfe said the minister stated that this system can only be implemented once start up funding has been secured and that the cost to manufacture devices would only be known after the commencement of a tender process. “The department now needs to stop dragging its heels on this, secure funding and put it out to tender as soon as possible,” Selfe says.
“These tracking devices would provide an efficient way to ensure that offenders do not break their parole conditions. Some 15 000 offenders were re-admitted for breaking parole conditions that were not crime related in 2008/2009.”
The DA says implementation of the tracking devices is important for three reasons:
It would assist in reducing the prison population level, which is currently at 143%. Over-crowded conditions at correctional centres are well documented, and 23 centres in South Africa experience an occupancy rate of over 200%;
It would enhance rehabilitation and make correction possible, as minor offenders would be able to serve out their sentence without being drawn into gangsterism and crime within the prisons and return to society more damaged than when they entered;
It would provide the courts with a viable sentencing alternative to prison, especially for offenders that pose a limited danger to society;
“In light of all the advantages that a satellite monitoring system would bring to the DCS, it is imperative that it is given every attention so that it is implemented as soon as possible and so that the problems facing the DCS can start to be addressed. I will be writing to the Minister to urge her to give this her utmost attention.”
These are not the first viability studies conducted by the prisons system. ITWeb reported in March 2008 that two studies on tracking prisoners had met with success the year before. One scheme electronically traced awaiting trial detainees in two prisons, while the second piloted electronic monitoring for parolees and prisoners under “correctional supervision”.
DCS IT deputy commissioner Jack Shilubane told Parliament two years ago that electronic monitoring could also reduce corruption in the department and the intimidation of prison officials.
He said the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research had been asked to help the department to draft a budget for the further deployment of parolee monitoring so that it can be included in National Treasury’s medium-term expenditure framework. It is not clear if this ever happened.
Shilubane said the scheme had then been in the pipeline for eight years, but has been stymied because “areas potentially covered by electronic monitoring could not match the offender population. The study ‘on the available technology at the time’ [2004] showed that electronic monitoring was only effective in 26% of urban areas and 19% of rural areas… due to reliance on electricity and telephone lines.”
The greater availability and relatively lower cost of global positioning technology and the “Global System for Mobile Communications” has, however, convinced prison authorities to have another stab at outside monitoring. He said the technology tested was “fairly accurate” and the devices ere “generally tamper-proof”.
The department was at the time also pleased with the result of an R28 million tracking project inside the Durban Westville Medium A prison and Johannesburg Medium A. The “Inmate Tracking System” (ITS) was sponsored by the Integrated Justice System Cluster of Cabinet and included a biometric identification and verification system. Prisoners have, in the past, denied their identities or assumed that of others in order to escape justice – and imprisonment.
Shilubane said ITS has proved itself to be of “great value”. He added that an evaluation committee concluded the system was sustainable. However, the personal tracking devices tested were deemed to be “non-durable” and, therefore, “inefficient”.
Pic: An e-tag on a British prisoner.
