Review of South Africa's Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services Annual Report 2019/2021

In this webinar, the third in our series on criminal justice department annual reports, we look at the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (the Inspectorate). Headed by the Inspecting Judge, Justice Edwin Cameron, the Inspectorate is mandated by the Correctional Services Act, to inspect and report on the treatment and conditions of detention of inmates in correctional centres. The Inspectorate is there to safeguard the rights of detainees and is an essential oversight mechanism for the correctional system. The Inspectorate’s annual reports are one of the few sources of accurate information on an otherwise opaque system. The information revealed in the Inspectorate’s annual reports are fundamental to understanding the correctional system.

In this webinar, the Inspecting Judge for Correctional Services, Justice Edwin Cameron, will provide an overview of the Inspectorate’s 2019/20 Annual Report, discussions will address highlights and problems reported on. The fundamental issue is whether the Department of Correctional Services is able to contribute to maintaining and protecting a just, peaceful and safe society by—(a) enforcing sentences of the courts in the manner prescribed by the CSA; (b) detaining all inmates in safe custody whilst ensuring their human dignity; and (c) promoting the social responsibility and human development of all sentenced offenders. Other panellists to provide their insights on the Inspectorate’s Annual Report include representatives from Africa Criminal Justice Reform (ACJR) and the Detention Justice Forum (DJF).

 Facilitator: Janelle Mangwanda

Panellists:

• Inspecting Judge for Correctional Services, Justice E. Cameron
• Kristen Petersen (ACJR)
• Doreen Gaura – (DJF)
• Sithuthukile Mkhize – (DJF)

 The JICS Annual Report 2019/2020 can be accessed here.

 Following registration, participants will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

ACJR wishes to acknowledge the Open Society Foundation-South Africa and the Sigrid Rausing Trust for making this webinar possible.