Children in Prison in South Africa - Community Law Centre

"Juveniles detained in facilities should be guaranteedthe benefit of meaningful activities and programmeswhich would serve to promote and sustain their healthand self-respect, to foster their sense of responsibilityand encourage those attitudes and skills that will assist -them in developing their potential as members ofsociety... As soon as possible after the moment ofadmission, each juvenile should be interviewed and apsychological and social report identifying any factorsrelevant to the specific type and level of care andprogramme required by the juvenile should be prepared...When special rehabilitative treatment is required, and the *length of stay in the facility permits, trained personnelof the facility should prepare a written, individualizedtreatment plan... " (UN RULES, 12&27)Prisons were found to vary greatly in the provision andquality of rehabilitation programmes they offer tojuveniles in their care. Many prisons, such as Malmesbury, -reported that they offer no social work or rehabilitationprogrammes at all for juveniles. The Pollsmoor AdmissionCentre {which, like the Malmesbury Prison, accommodateschildren awaiting transfer elsewhere), similarlyoffers no rehabilitation programmes. Despite theexcuse made that they simply house children who areawaiting placement in- another area .of the prison or inother prisons, interviews with the children revealedthat some had been in the Admission Centre, withoutprogrammes, .for as long as a year.At Pietermaritzburg, there are no rehabilitationprogrammes. Here, too, the imminence of transferswas used as the excuse. It was reported to theresearchers that 'a couple' of the juveniles wereawaiting transfer to Ekuseni Youth DevelopmentCentre, where there were programmes in place.At Stanger Prison, there are no rehabilitation or psychosocialprogrammes. There is no attempt to do case work. or group work, nor are there pre-release programmes.