Andrew Spaumer, IASWG Africa Chapter, Tshwane (South Africa)

The South African Correctional Services Facilities (prisons and jails) utilizes group work interventions to address the needs of inmates. This  presentation explains the relevance of group work as experienced by both the social workers (group facilitators) and the inmates. The presentation will further show how diversity is addressed through group work within this system.

Presentation Description:

The goal of the South African correctional system is not to punish people, but to protect the public, promote social responsibility, and improve human development to reduce recidivism rates (Tapscott, 2006:10). African people have always used different idioms to express the importance of unity and how working together we are able to achieve more. These skills are still applicable in the cities and rural villages of the country. There is no doubt that such sentiments are shared throughout the world as confirmed by the sayings like “more hands make for lighter work” or “the more the merrier”.

Within the South Africa correctional facilities (prison/jail) group work has been used to facilities programs on offending behaviours, victim awareness programs, community services work, victim-offender mediation (Dhami 2009:433). Group work is used within the South African Correctional System to educate, rehabilitate inmates and to prepare them for life outside of the system. Group work helps inmates to adjust to the centre and helps inmates to gain insight about themselves from others in the group. It further provides the normal growth needs and influences the institution’s culture. 

Challenges faced by correctional facilities in South Africa and how group work intervention assist: In March 2019, jail overcrowding in South Africa, one of the continent's wealthiest countries, was at 37%, with 162, 875 inmates vs. 118,572 bed places (Mahtani, 2020). The challenge of over crowing in the South African correctional facilities put strain of individual intervention of rehabilitating inmates. Group work has become the best tool to make sure that interventions with inmates covers majority of members in needs while also providing the proper maximising of time and space for activities. 

Kind of Group Work session conducted by social workers within the correctional facilities: Group work is a method of social work which helps individuals to enhance their social functioning through purposeful group experiences and to cope more effectively with their personal group or community problems. Correctional centres offer the following groups session: Task Oriented Groups Peer/Friendship Groups Recreation Groups Groups further helps the inmates to cope with stress related to family and marital, anxiety, parole application and restorative justice programs. 

Cultural Diversity and Group Work: South African has 11 official languages with rich culture of each language bringing its own liveliness to the assorted group of people who showcase their different cultures. Correctional centres find themselves accommodating virous cultural, racial, and ethnic groups. It becomes important for those working with groups to have a level of understanding about each culture, race, and ethnic group to facilitate collaboration and cooperation within the group. Diversity is something that is celebrated within the South African correctional facilities as indicated by Mthupha (2016).  

Written feedback from inmates will be presented to the attendees.  Social worker who are making use of group work’s feedback on group will be presented to the attendees.  Group members given opportunity to ask question and comment on the session.

References:

• Mthupha, F. Prisoners celebrate SA's cultural heritage. Boksburgadverstiser: Boksburg https://boksburgadvertiser.co.za./277185/roots-prisoners-encouraged-to-participate-in-cultural-activities  (Accessed 23/02/2022).
• Dhami, M.K. 2009. Restorative justice in prison. Contemporary Justice Review 12(4):433-448
• Mahtani, S. 2020. We need to decongest Africa's prison urgently. For everyone' sake. African Arguments https://africanarguments.org/2020/03/decongest-africa-covid-19-prisions-urgently/ Accessed 23/02/2022