A Review of the Judicial Inspectorate of Prisons of South

Abstract

Independent prison inspectorates and the oversight of prisons by laymen are designed to contribute to improving prison conditions and protecting the human rights of prisoners. The South African model, the Judicial Inspectorate of Prisons (hereafter: the Inspectorate), is no exception and forms part of an array of independent institutions set up to bolster and support democracy and human rights. This report examines and assesses the work carried out by the Inspectorate since its inception in 1998. The conclusion of this report IS that the Inspectorate IS making a significant contribution to improving the human rights of prisoners in South Africa, but there are several areas of its work (hat need to be improved and modified in order to maximise its effectiveness.