Ex-convicts encouraged to play a positive role in communities
In an effort to win the battle against crime, Boksburg Correctional Services and the Reiger Park police have reached out to offenders who are on probation or parole to do the right thing.
During a dialogue between offenders and authorities at the Reiger Park Civic Centre on November 22, parolees and probationers were urged to get involved in the fight against crime.
This is the first time the authorities have sought to rope in former offenders from the community to help reduce the crime rate in local townships.
The meeting marked the start of an ongoing dialogue on community issues such as the spike in crime, school drop-out rates, substance abuse and unemployment among the youth.
During the discussion, the police admitted that without the involvement of the community, including ex-offenders, it will be difficult to tackle crime successfully.
“The crime problem, drug trade in particular, cannot be sorted out without you [formerly incarcerated people] and the community at large working with us,” said Reiger Park SAPS spokesperson Sgt Mashudu Phathela.
“We need to have more meaningful dialogues like this with you, because recidivism has been a serious problem in the area. We have many people going in and out of jail.”
While many offenders undertook to turn over a new leaf and help the authorities tackle crime, they also firmly stated their case, saying there are numerous barriers in the way of ex-offenders who want to change their lives for the better.
One of these barriers is the inability to find jobs as a result of having a criminal record.
“What do you think makes people re-offend?” one of the offenders asked. “Ex-offenders have trouble finding jobs, which significantly increases their risk of returning to a life of crime. In order to survive on our own, we need money to get ourselves food, housing and other basic necessities.
“Ten years is a long time in the life of someone coming out of prison and trying to start a new life by doing the right thing.”
Boksburg Correctional Services head of community liaison Shadrack Msindwana, and the Community Corrections Forum’s Shaun Jantjies and Conrad Jantjies, conceded that a criminal record is a severe deterrent for potential employers.
At the same time, they told the gathering, a criminal record cannot be used as an excuse for re-offending. The officials encouraged ex-convicts to take the entrepreneurial route instead, to set up their own micro-enterprises and in this way to avoid the trap of falling back into the old behaviours that landed them in jail in the first place.
Correctional Services and the Community Corrections Forum promised to help former inmates take the self-employment route by connecting them with organisations that can provide business training, advice and physical and financial support.
Speakers added that most offenders come out of prison equipped with technical skills, which they could put to use in setting up and running their own businesses.
Officials also reminded ex-offenders that they can have their criminal records expunged 10 years after conviction if they haven’t re-offended, provided their crimes do not fall in certain categories, such as sex-related offences.
Reiger Park CPF’s Tabea Buti shared her life journey with the audience, telling them of the struggles she faced growing up without parents and rejected by relatives.
“You are young, intelligent and handsome,” Buti said.
“Life is a choice – whatever your life becomes, it is always your choice to make. You have to choose the path and direction that will not lead you to a darker side.
“Leave everything else in the past and avoid the wrong friends who are involved in activities that could land you back in jail time after time.
“Don’t worry about what people say about you,” Buti said. “We want you to become role models for your brothers, sisters and the youngsters in the community.”
Correctional Services’ Sello Modise and parole officer Johan Slabbert encouraged ex-offenders, parolees and probationers to establish a formalised structure to represent them and help them resolve their concerns.
Prison officials along with Community Corrections Forum, CPF and SAPS representatives reiterated that their organisations would remain steadfast in supporting ex-offenders and helping them to become ambassadors of change.
