Recidivism in South Africa: is the South African correctional service corrective?

Abstract

This research investigates whether the systems and procedures in place in the South African Correctional Service are succeeding in the rehabilitation of convicted criminals. South Africa faces a dual challenge with one of the highest crime rates globally and a correspondingly high number of convicted criminals. A significant number of convicted individuals have a history of prior arrests and sentences before their current incarceration. However, the Department of Correctional Services maintains on its website that the procedures in place for the rehabilitation of incarcerated individuals are sufficient for their intended purposes. One would then be of the assumption that the rehabilitation measures proposed by the Department of Correctional Services are sufficient in rehabilitating convicted individuals and that, therefore, there would be no individuals serving more than one prison term in their lifetime.