JICS works in close collaboration with all safety and security cluster departments, especially the Department of Justice, Correctional Services, Social Services and the South African Police Service. There are service points located across the Republic of South Africa and they comprise of correctional services centres and regional offices. The key services offered are as follows:
An Independent Correctional Centre Visitor shall deal with the complaints of inmates by:
- Conducting regular visits,
- Interviewing inmates in private,
- Recording complaints in an official dairy and monitoring the manner in which they have been dealt with, and
- Discussing complaints with the Head of Correctional Centre (HCC), with a view of resolving the issue.
ICCVs must be granted access to any part of the correctional centre and to any document or record.
The service to the public deals with the provision and management of JICS. Its purpose is to facilitate the resolution of any dispute (ill treatment, use of force, mechanical restraints, etc.) by providing accessible, efficient, effective and quality administrative support to the public at large. It also includes working in collaboration with other government departments in the safety and security cluster to promote the human dignity of all inmates.
- To be directed to the correct official, who will assist you professionally,
- To be provided with correct/accurate information at your request,
- To be served by professional staff who conduct their work with integrity and without bias,
- Our processes to be transparent, open, fair and reliable, and
- Facilities to be safe, accessible and convenient to use by all, inclusive of people with disabilities. If you phone us, you can expect personnel to:
- Answer the phone professionally, identify the office and provide you with their names.
- Be helpful, courteous, and deal with your inquiry promptly.
- Transfer your call to the appropriate person /section where necessary. If you write to us, you can expect to:
- Receive a courteous and clean reply within fourteen working (14) days.
- Receive an acknowledgement of receipt within seven (7) working days if your matter is complex.
- Correspondence submitted to you in simple language and where possible, in your preferred language.
The mandate of JICS is to inspect or arrange for the inspection of correctional centres and remand detention facilities in order to report on the treatment of inmates in correctional centres and on conditions and any corrupt or dishonest practices in correctional centres and remand detention facilities.
- The managing, monitoring and reporting of any deaths in correctional centres.
- Record all such complaints and requests.
- Manage all instances of segregation and extended segregation and report thereon.
- All cases of the use of mechanical restraints must be investigated and reported on.
- All instances of use of force must be investigated and reported on.
- Conduct inspections and investigations of all correctional centres and report thereon.
- Increase the accessibility and footprint of JICS by appointing ICCVs to all correctional facilities.
- Management of visitors’ committees and their establishment.
- Effectively and efficiently facilitate the resolution of inmate complaints/requests and monitoring the manner in which the complaints are resolved.
- Ensure reporting on treatment of inmates and conditions in correctional centres.
- Promote the stakeholders engagement and public awareness, inclusive of NGOs, CBOs and FBO’s.
- Manage and utilize HR in accordance with relevant directives and legislation.
- Prevent possible human rights violations by oversight visiting at correctional centres and compiling oversight visit reports.