The incarcerated body : Judicial inspections, human rights and religious policy in prisons in South Africa

Abstract

The theologian is the voice of the voiceless, including the voiceless in prison. In the first part of this article the history of prison inspection as an outcome of the human rights movement is traced both nationally and internationally, culminating locally in the establishment of the Judicial Inspectorate of Prisons as an independent office under the control of the Inspecting Judge (effective from 1 June 1998). Special attention is given to the position of Independent Prison Visitors (IPV) in this system and their role in becoming the “voice of the voiceless” in prison environments. Because one of the authors of this article has served as an IPV, the second part of the article is dedicated to observations on prison spiritualities and the views of prisoners on their (human) rights as people of faith. The article concludes with suggestions for a policy accommodating the religious needs of prisoners in South African prisons.