The evaluation of South Africa's Parole System: Evaluative workshop proceedings report.

The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME), in collaboration with the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), is conducting an evaluation of South Africa's Parole System – to assess its design, efficiency and effectiveness in achieving its aims in line with Chapter VII of the Correctional Services Act (Act no. 111 of 1998, as amended1). The parole system is an integral part of the criminal justice system. It allows eligible offenders to serve the remainder of their sentence outside correctional facilities under the supervision of a DCS function called Community Corrections. The Correctional system aims to incarcerate, rehabilitate, and reintegrate offenders back into society. Rather than relying solely on punitive measures, it promotes social reintegration, reduces recidivism, and strengthens public safety. The parole system is designed to provide eligible offenders with a structured pathway for reintegration into society while maintaining public safety by, among other measures, reducing recidivism (i.e. the likelihood of reoffending). The approach followed is of a Rapid Diagnostic Evaluation, planned for the period between November 2024 and March 2025. The methodology involves mixed methods, which include literature review and document analysis, evaluative workshops and case studies.