A fruitful meeting recently took place about the release and monitoring of high-risk parolees.
“I think it is very important that when you release parolees and probationers, you bring them to our attention. This could assist us to fast-track and assist you, as a department, in monitoring them together in terms of success rate,” said Chief Emmanuel Jali of KwaJali administrative area in Harding.
Jali said this when Kokstad Community Corrections Office officials visited his palace while they conducted special monitoring of high-risk parolees residing in his area of jurisdiction.
Bonginkosi Mbotshwa, the Department of Correctional Services spokesperson in the Kokstad management area, said it was a fruitful meeting where it was explained to Chief Jali that it is important they accept offenders on their release because they have been skilled and capacitated with survival skills.
“These skills entail carpentry, painting and plumbing, for example, and there are supporting documents like certificates they can produce for validation to show that they are not chance takers in the trade,” said Mbotshwa.
Virgil Fortuin, special monitoring leader, said they are monitoring high-risk parolees.
“High-risk parolees are offenders who were incarcerated for serious crimes, for example, murder, rape and robbery with aggravating circumstances. Every six months, we do sittings with them to validate that they are still monitored accordingly and still abide by their parole conditions,” said Fortuin.
Mbotshwa said they have had a 95% monitoring success rate.
“Most of the offenders were found in their homes and fit for their parole conditions. Those who were not at home were at their place of work. One was not at home but with a former offender who offered him a job to build houses in the locality,” he said.
Parolees are also advised to look for employment but are required to comply with the conditions of the parole system.
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