The Department of Correctional Services on Sunday said the number of children awaiting trial in the country’s remand detention facilities has decreased by 74%.
The department said this at a period in which South Africa commemorates Child Protection Week 2015 under the theme “Working Together to Protect Children.”
“In the 2013/14 financial year, 129 awaiting-trial children were held in the country’s remand detention facilities, down from 497 in 2009/10. The number of sentenced children also declined by 62.1% between 2009/10 and 2014/15 financial years, from 538 to 204,” the department said.
The Acting National Commissioner of Correctional Services, Zach Modise, said the reduction of children incarcerated in correctional facilities was a product of close collaboration between various partners of the criminal justice system, particularly the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.
“We will continue to promote the successful rehabilitation of children in conflict with the law, while also ensuring the implementation of the provisions of the Child Justice Act on handling of children who break the law.
“We must also continue to raise awareness and mobilise all sectors and communities towards the holistic development, care and protection of our children. We must educate communities to put children first, in line with government’s commitment to build a South Africa that is fit for children,” said Modise.
The department said it refers awaiting trial children to courts for consideration after every 14 days of detention, to facilitate the conclusion of their cases, in line with the Child Justice Act.
“Children are treated as a special category as one of the vulnerable sectors among the country’s 159 563 inmates. They are accommodated separately from juveniles and adults and receive special attention in respect of rehabilitation programme, particularly education,” the department said.
The sentencing principles for child offenders changed fundamentally when the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa was adopted in 1996.
The department said this change was necessitated by section 28 of the Constitution, which introduced a set of rights specifically aimed at the protection of children.
“Some of these rights directly affect children in conflict with the law, as child accused or offenders are often referred to. In relation to sentencing, important rights include that the best interests of the child are paramount and that children should not be imprisoned unless such imprisonment is unavoidable,” the department said.
The department said during the Child Protection Week, which commenced on 31 May and ends on 7 June 2015, every sector of the South African society takes time to reflect on progress made to realise the ideals of a society that is free of child abuse, neglect, ill-treatment and violence against children. –SAnews.gov.za