A total of 126 inmates who were among the 13 989 prisoners released last year May as part of the Covid-19 parole dispensation have been rearrested.
This was revealed in a briefing in parliament on May 12 where the portfolio committee on justice and correctional services engaged with the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) on progress regarding the release of offenders on parole to address Covid-19.
The decision to release some of the offenders comes after the department’s failure to enforce Covid-19 protocols in prisons due to overcrowding.
During the briefing, the department indicated the 2020 Covid-19 Special Parole Dispensation was successfully implemented; however, more still needs to be done to get communities more involved in the monitoring, rehabilitation and reintegration of parolees and probationers to ensure a smooth reintegration process.
Meanwhile, in Boksburg, only one person has been readmitted to the Boksburg Correctional Services after allegedly committing a robbery with aggravating circumstances.
According to Sello Modise, Boksburg Correctional Services spokesperson, the management area released 388 offenders who qualified for the Covid-19 parole.
“The offenders who qualified for the special parole dispensation were low-risk offenders who were convicted for non-violent crimes and those who had stable family support systems,” Modise said.
Communities have been urged to be prepared for the release of parolees and probationers in order to ensure effective reintegration and reduce reoffending.
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