REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA COMBINED SECOND PERIODIC REPORT UNDER THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLE`S RIGHTS and INITIAL REPORT UNDER THE PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN AFRICA • • • • • • 156 centres with a bed capacity of 0 – 500 beds with a combined capacity of 27 837 beds. Of these 112 correctional centres have a bed capacity less than 250, which represents 13 214 approved bed spaces; and 44 centres have a bed capacity of 250 < 500 beds that represent 14 626 approved bed spaces. 61 centres in the capacity group 500 < 1000 beds with a combined capacity of 42 502 beds. 11 centres which have a capacity of 1000 <1500 accounting for approved bed space of 13 705, and 15 centres (13 plus the two private prisons) who have a capacity of >1500, which represents 34 397 approved bed spaces.52 Policy and administrative measures to reduce overcrowding in correctional centres 70. The White Paper on Corrections (2005) addresses the challenge of overcrowding. Furthermore, there has been an increased focus on addressing overcrowding by reducing the number of awaiting trial detainees. A Remand Detention Branch was created in the Department of Correctional Services and Cabinet approved the White Paper on Remand Detention in October 2010 which focuses on reducing the number of remand detainees and offender rehabilitation.53 71. The decrease in overcrowding is regarded as key in creating a correctional services facility environment that is conducive for rehabilitation and contributes towards crime prevention. The collaborative implementation of strategy by the DCS and its partners within the criminal justice system and in society contributes to the fact that the DCS is steadily but surely winning the war against overcrowding and high incarceration rates in correctional centres. This strategy enabled the DCS, working together with all other partners in the Criminal Justice System (CJS) value chain, to significantly decrease the inmate population and also contributed towards the reduced per capita incarceration rate in South Africa. This strategy enabled the DCS to significantly reduced the per capita incarceration rate in South Africa from 403 to 290 inmates per 100 000 population between 2004 and 2014. 72. Another measure implemented to decrease overcrowding is the implementation of Unit Management in all correctional centres in order to enhance rehabilitation in the prison system. This is designed to improve control and relationships by dividing the larger correctional centre population into smaller, more manageable groups and to improve the delivery of correctional services pertaining to care, corrections, development, security and after-care. These measures were introduced through the amendment of the Correctional Services Act, 1998, to formalise the unit management regime that, amongst others, provides for good communication between correctional officials and inmates, and principles that are understood by everyone, team work, direct, interactive supervision of inmates; and 52 53 DCS Annual Performance Plan 2014/2015 20 Year Review 24