Offenders busk in the sun with family
Offenders were treated to a day filled with fun and lots of food.
The Krugersdorp Correctional Center recently had a family day as a way for offenders to busk in the sun with their loved ones.
“Offenders of the center, who are active in the rehabilitation programmes, were treated to an outstanding day filled with fun and lots of food,” said Mafethe Sibusiso, Krugersdorp Correctional Services’ spokesperson.
“Families of the offenders who qualified for this day came in support of the center, as this initiative brings family ties together and also, brings about hope to those who are incarcerated that they are not forgotten by society’s best ‘the family tree’.”
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He said the day is dedicated to offenders who are categorised as A-group citizens with good behaviour over their time of imprisonment, someone who has never had an internal charge against them and an offender who does not have parole break as this is their qualifying criteria as set out by the Head of Correctional Center and determined by the Case Management Committee (CMC).
“This criterion is set to prevent escapes and to protect family members and the public visiting in the center since there are high risk offenders who are deemed capable of aiding escapes.”
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The day began with an address by Monica Mabena, the acting Head of Correctional Centre, when she touched on safe custody of offenders.
“Families are part of corrections, in that there are challenges that are disturbing operations in center when families smuggle-in contrabands inside the center. It creates a problem among offenders; it promotes gangsterism and compromises security,” she said.
“Families should refrain from doing such things as this jeopardises the safe keeping of offenders.”
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As a result such actions, once an offender is found in possession of smuggled contrabands, the repercussions are that an offender will be charged and privileges will be omitted affecting process of parole and impact negatively on the profile of the offender, Sibusiso said.
Building up to the day the general message was that family members should co-operate with the department to ensure that corrections become a success.
“Offenders are the children of the community, not of the Department of Correctional Services; therefore the community should play a vigorous role in the rehabilitation of offenders and social re-integration as this will liberate offenders from re-offending again.”
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