"Why South Africa?"

People are often shocked that I would want to come to South Africa to study.  Isn't America supposed to have all the answers?  Unfortunately, I have experienced this reaction in both countries.  There are several unique reasons to study prisons in South Africa.  Even more importantly, there are lessons to be learned in South African prisons that are desperately needed in the States.  Ultimately this stuff will be the focus of my Masters thesis, but here are a few highlight:  Sorry if there are no clever anecdotes about surfing, but it's my blog so I can inflict socio-political ramblings at will!   

 

n  Post-Apartheid Transition:  Prisons are always the last thing to change in a society.  One reason is that prison doesn't tend to attract the progressive, “change the world” sort of employee.  Another is, “why bother?”  If society has a very narrow view of prisons as a warehouse for undesirables, the basic technique for this type of social control has been in place forever.  Guards have been hitting prisoners with sticks since the beginning of time.  Why change a winning formula? 

In all seriousness, however, there is no country that has seen its prison system undergo such a dynamic, rapid transition as in South Africa.  Practically overnight they saw an institution stripped of its purpose (political control by a white minority) and most of it's administration (white bureaucrats).  The whole designation of a “Maximum Security Prison” was now moot, because these had been reserved for political prisoners.  Such a radical transition creates quite a strain on the system, but it makes for a fascinating place to study!

 

n  Willingness to Question:  One of the many advantages to flow from this transition is a willingness to question what prisons are for.  Prisons are designed to fly below the public radar, so this is a rare thing.  Especially in the States, politicians keep funneling money into the prison system without ever assessing what it is good for.  This is incredible, considering 80% of the prisoners who get out of jail are reincarcerated.  If any other aspect of society failed 80% of the time, we would at least have a conversation about it.  In South Africa, this conversation is actually happening.  It might even restore my faith in government. 

 

n  Innovation:  Many prison systems throw together the occasional committee to study various challenges in the penal system, but this is half-hearted at best.  In South Africa, innovation is happening at breakneck speed.  It's a matter of survival!  Granted, some of this innovation takes the form of corruption, but the Department of Correctional Services has been forced to think creatively by nature of the extreme over-crowding and lack of resources.  Western prisons with lush operating budgets just don't have the same incentive!

 

n  Community Involvement:  Many of South Africa's current leaders spent a significant amount of time in prison.  Contrast this with the States, where many of our leaders won office by frightening the middle class with the spectre of black crime!  This has led some South Africans to be less quick to buy into the stigma of prison.  As a result, there is a stronger bond between community organizations and the prison system.  The involvement of NGO's and charities in prison is by no means unique.  What sets South Africa apart is that the government is excited about this!  In the States, volunteers—and rehabilitation programs in general—are viewed as a nuisance.