Why should we care about prison oversight?

In December 2016, Sonke and Lawyers for Human Rights launched a court application calling for the increased independence of South Africa’s prison oversight body, the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services.

Prison oversight, that is the monitoring, inspecting, reporting on prisons, is vital for ensuring prisoners’ human rights. This fact sheet explains why we need an independent oversight body, and the challenges faced by the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services. It is the first of a series of fact sheets intended to explain why we should care about prisons and inmates, and all things prison-related.