Policy and practice in South African prisons: an update

Abstract

Julia Sloth-Nielsen points to challenges in the correctional system that South Africa's new constitutional democracy was faced with, including the deep-rooted militaristic tradition that needed to be replaced and the transformation in staff representativeness. She discusses various aspects of prison building design, including the still controversial privatisation of two newly built prisons and the prospect that the so-called 'New Generation' prisons may cost far more than originally envisaged.

Considerable attention is paid to the development of the 2005 White Paper, which aims to change comprehensively the focus of the sector. The article notes the enormity of the challenges in implementing the philosophy of rehabilitation and reintegration as core objectives of corrections.