Ex-Offenders Against Crime

29/07/2024

The Debate continues.

2 Aspects that have changed the Criminal Justice System, were the inclusion of Detained individuals rights within the South African Constitution, secondly the Correctional Services Act 111.

In contrast it remains a challenge for South Africa in view of the fact that the Law (Legislation) is finding itself clashing with its own policies.

All initiatives pertaining to Rehabilitation is going down the drain due to this.

Once a individual is considered to be Rehabilitated, the prolonged sentence is breaking down the Rehabilitated.

Recidivism remaining at a staggering 96% is a clear indication that the System is a Failure.

Society including offenders are negatively affected by this.

Think about it, for every 100 offenders granted Parole, 96 will return!

What does it take to be part of the 4%?

Saturday 27 July 2024 - 17:40pm PRETORIA - Now that the Correctional Services Minister has confirmed they will continue, what is the line between ensuring punishment for a crime and correctional services?There is a perception that prisoners are living the good life because they have access to thing...

26/04/2024

Time has arrived to Un-Educate CORRUPTION!!!

At all levels of society.

15/09/2023

Parole, a Human Right or a Privilege?

Once you become a Incarcerated Sentenced Offender; a person sentenced by a Court to be incarcerated for a period of time to serve a sentence as ruled by the Court; you will upon commitment to the nearest Correctional Centre fall under the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998 (previously the Prisons Act 8 of 1958).

In order to be CONSIDERED for parole, there is a CRITERIA to be Fulfilled before such CONSIDERATION!!!

Length of Sentence,
Type of Crime,
Prescribed Rehabilitation Programs completed,
Employment,
Housing/Care Giver (someone who will sign responsibility for the offender),
Remissions Received,
Behaviour,
Remorse,
Victim Offender Dialogue completed, accompanied with some other administrative documents.

This enables a offender to qualify to be CONSIDERED for parole!!!

Therefor the Right of Choice remains with Correctional Services as prescribed by the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998.

A major contributor to CONSIDERATION, is the Victim Offender Dialogue Program whereby the offender and Victim/s or Family get to meet.

The purpose of VOD is to seek forgiveness and show remorse by the offender.
The Family get opportunity to confront the offender to get some closure and either give or deny forgiveness.

Victim/s or their families may attend a offender Parole Hearing and may oppose it. This as well as society view is considered, as prescribed by CS Act 111 of q1998.

Should a family or victim choose not to participate in VOD, they could then not oppose at the offenders parole hearing.

Due to current legislation, Correctional Services is at loggerheads with itself.

On the 1 side you are a Rehabilitation Centre as prescribed by Legislation and on the Other side you only consider a offender to be rehabilitated after serving a minimum period (currently ½ of a prescribed sentence or 25 years for life sentences)

Various Courts have intervened in the past when it comes to the consideration for parole.

As long as Legislation overshadow Rehabilitation, Parole will remain a Consideration.

https://www.netwerk24.com/netwerk24/nuus/hof/d-dag-vir-dkd-om-te-se-oor-oscar-se-paroolstryd-20230914?fbclid=IwAR1Z4JuQzBHFFxBhnsLg_qimS-_1QJpCwPmiEY5L1Sa6jNdSPPt4L45cm9Q

Reeva Steenkamp se ouers sê die regsproses moet sy loop neem in die jongste verwikkeling rondom Oscar Pistorius se regstryd om parool.

12/04/2023

Which will it be C-Max it Kokstad for Thabo Bester?

Logistically, C-Max will make more sense.

The capture of Thabo Bester and his partner in Tanzania marks the end of the pair’s run from the law. Bester may have gotten away with it all were it not for...

27/09/2022

Recidivism remains the Biggest challenge for Correctional Services.

Correctional Services remains the Last line of Defence for Society as well as the Offender being released, irrespective the reason for Release.

You can be in a Position of Rehabilitation, yet be the Punisher as well.

Once a point of Rehabilitation have been reached, the True Test is to grant Freedom but due to the Sentence further Detention is required in accordance to the Conviction.

"Scenario"

You get into a accident,

You get hospitalized,

You require rehabilitation of your injured body to function normal again,

You receive the rehabilitation,

You go through the rehabilitation and recover well,

The Hospital however decides to keep you Hospitalized even-though you have recovered and healed,

What would your mental state of mind be after being rehabilitated but kept in Hospital for no other reason as to a period of time to pass,

No further programs or exercise due to you being healed according to all practices.

It has a negative effect on your mental state.

Accompanied with this you get re-integrated without any Support!

Societal Pressure a major leading factor to Recidivism as well.

There is no Quick Fix or Elixir to the problem other than Reanimation of current Practice & Policy.

Ex-Offenders Against Crime is building the Bridge to reduce Recidivism to 0%.

Once the Offender has reached the required rehabilitation, the Natural next step is to be Re-integrated with Support back into Society, not be further exposed to Criminality.

https://www.facebook.com/160836574053016/posts/2775824609220853/?app=fbl

At the dawn of democracy in 1994, the Prisons Department was changed to Correctional Services. This was done to show that prisoners can be changed and rehabilitated. Legal expert, Mpumelelo Zikalala speaks to eNCA on this topic.

13/04/2022

This message is for every single Ex-Offender Against Crime.

You know where you came from.

We all paid the ultimate price, went through the humiliation, trials and tribulations.

Ultimately we made a self conscious Life Changing decision to be a better person, firstly to one self and then for our loved ones.

What lead you to have been incarcerated is not who or what you are.

Societal pressure and rejection are the biggest contributing factor for most Ex-Offenders going back to crime.

No words penned down will explain the inner strength a individual have; to not give in and give up.

Words can be inspirational but only your inner strength and true character can carry you through any challenge you face or go through.

I am only human and came close to giving up many times, to give in many times.

Then I remember why and whom I'm doing what I do, for.

I am not ashamed of my past,
I am not ashamed of my present, and
I will not be ashamed in the future!!!

My message to society who lives in my past:

What is your intention?

What integrity do you have?

What does it say about your character?

Do you want me to become 1 of the 96% of Recidivism?

When you do what is right but get criticized on a daily basis about it.

Your character assassinated for doing the right thing.

You being hated for doing what was right.

What are you actually contributing to?

You are inviting and convincing me that by doing right, I actually did wrong!

You are telling me that next time I know about a Murder, Robbery, Farm Attact, High Jacking, Kidnapping, Human Trafficking, Drug Trafficking or any Crime for that matter, I MUST LOOK AWAY AND BE SILENT!!!

That is your message to each and every single Ex-Offender out there!!!

Don't do what is right, do what is wrong!!!

THAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO SOCIETY!!!

Reservist (Ret) Capt. Pottie Potgieter and (Ret) Capt.(F) Hanlie Aggenbag Nel.

Is that what you telling each and every Ex-Offender?

DO NOT DO WHAT IS RIGHT, DO WHAT IS WRONG!!!

My message to you:

YOU ARE THE WEAKEST LINK.

My Brothers and Sisters whom are Ex-Offenders Against Crime:

NEVER GIVE IN,
NEVER GIVE UP,
NEVER SURRENDER!!!

I am Proud to be a Ex-Offender Against Crime.

22/12/2021

As a Scuba Diver myself, I am glad to see this type of initiative made.

A world of opportunities awaits any Ex- Offender after exposure to the Scuba Industry.

Should look into a Pilot Program for SA.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2335055819917862&id=341163402640457

09/09/2021

Gross abuse of power.

We are aware of various incarcerated offenders whom are entitled to receive medical parole but not considered.

Arthur Frazier gave Jacob Zuma preferential treatment.

Medical Parole is earmarked for individuals whom are on their deathbed.

Zero transparency Commission Frazier, you will be held accountable for your decision.

Unfair treatment and gross abuse of your position while other real cases get ignored.

https://www.facebook.com/361309287642651/posts/1238039693302935/

The board did not approve Zuma's medical parole-Arthur Fraser

The national commissioner of correctional services, Arthur Fraser, has admitted that he overruled parole board to free Zuma on medical grounds, because he has the right to do so, despite the fact that the Medical Parole Advisory Board did not approve medical parole for former president Jacob Zuma.

He said the board insisted that Zuma was in a stable condition. Fraser revealed he took the decision to release Zuma during an interview on The Watchdog on the SABC on Wednesday night.

According to Fraser, from the first day he arrived, Zuma declared his comorbidities, (presence of two or more diseases in the same person).

"He came to our facility, we have a responsibility to provide security and care. And as in all instances, when we admit a person into our facility, we make sure we do a full assessment, including a health assessment."

Fraser said they realised they had a person in their custody who was frail and required specialised treatment.

It was Zuma's medical team, in conjunction with correctional services, which indicated he could no longer be kept at the facility because the type of medical care required could not be provided at correctional services.

He said correctional services allocated a doctor to do an observation, and based on that, recommendations were made to the board.

However, it did not approve medical parole because Zuma was in a stable condition.

12/08/2021

It is truly sad that this incident happened.

Our condolences to Family and Friends of the Victim.

This is a Pure example of what the state of our Correctional Centres are in Truly, Absolute "Dire Straits".

The irresponsible behavior of Correctional Services cost a Member her life.

What explanation will be offered to her Family and Friends to justify this incompetence.

It is a Truly Sad day in the History of Correctional Services.

https://maroelamedia.co.za/nuus/sa-nuus/bewaarder-dood-by-leeuwkop-gevangenis-aangetref/

Die vrouetronkbewaarder se baadjie was glo met bloed bevlek toe haar liggaam gevind is.

29/07/2021

Family for Lifers NPO

An Initiative and Collaboration of Life Sentenced Offenders and Respective Families launching a Class Action against the Minister of Correctional Services et al.

Although the old Prisons Act 8 of 1959 was replaced by the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998; read with the White Paper on Corrections 2005; the Fact Remains that Correctional Services are driven Predominantly by the B-Order and untill such time that the A & B - Orders have been revised and amended, Correctional Services will not be in a position to Fullfill its Epecentral Mandate to REHABILITATE.

Society at large have been accustomed to a specific set norm approaching Criminal Justice.

In all honesty, verbalizing a monologue of REHABILITATION and MARKETING rehabilitation but PRODUCING CRIMINALITY is not a solution to the problem.

It is time that the CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM in a whole be reanimated.

If you have been determined to be rehabilitative and placed into a rehabilitation environment to be rehabilitated, yet with a noose around the neck that houses you in a predominant Prison System.

This is a perfect Psychological failure from start.

Is there a need for a Prison, yes there is.

Is there a greater need for a Correctional Centre, yes there is.

2 Different Requirements,

2 Different Approaches ,

2 Different Outcomes.

Once you have reached a point of considered Rehabilitation the automatic next step would be Reintegration.

Currently the Prison Policy supercede that once a offender do reach this stage, s/he must first serve a sentenced period before Reintegration.

The purpose is lost, contributing to Recidivism once released.

28/07/2021

https://fb.watch/6YMVeyTxY0/

28/07/2021

Recidivism will drop drastically.

https://www.enca.com/analysis/ex-offenders-should-be-made-prison-wardens-heres-why

One way to break the cycles that return offenders to prison is through the way society treats ex-offenders, providing them with basic human needs such as employment.