A Critical Analysis of Overcrowding in South African Correctional Centres.

As a result of escalating levels of crime in South Africa, correctional centres have become overcrowded because new inmates swell the numbers of those already serving sentences or awaiting trial. Moreover, overcrowding worsens the fundamental design challenges of correctional homes as large numbers of inmates in most of these centres approach. This study focuses on the effects of overcrowding in South African correctional centres. To achieve this goal, a review of empirical research studies was conducted. It was found that even though bunk beds are used at the centres under study, they are placed too close together to utilise every available space in overcrowded conditions which compromise reasonable living space for the inmates. Moreover, owing to the shortage of staff, inmates are habitually locked up for the greater portion of the day and, in some instances, only released for a couple of minutes to exercise outdoors. Overcrowding, thus, has a number of dire effects on the effective functioning of correctional centres, such as self-injury and injury to others, increased levels of aggression, violence, increased drug use, and a number of health issues. Overcrowding also results in an increase in gangsterism as well as smuggling of drugs into the facility, which makes life extremely difficult for non-gang members. Not only does overcrowding affect the inmates, but it also affects the safety of the staff members. In a number of incidences, correctional staff members on duty were accosted, assaulted, raped or even killed by inmates. The conditions at most correctional centres are considerably worse than is commonly believed; and inmates live in little hope that conditions would change in the near future. On the whole, it is obvious that the limited space and high population numbers make inmates more violent and irritated with one another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]