Questions over prisoners’ DNA samples

A TOTAL of 896 offenders were released in the Northern Cape in the last financial year (2017/18) after they had completed their sentences, while 899 were released on parole.

This is according to the Department of Justice and Correctional Service in response to a question by DA MP Dianne Kohler-Barnard.

Kohler-Barnard questioned the number of prisoners who were released in each province over the past three years and of these, how many had their DNA taken before they were released?

In the reply, it was indicated that for the 2016/17 financial year, 871 prisoners were released as their sentences had expired and 882 were released on parole. The figure for the previous year was 553, whose sentences had expired and 564 who were given parole.

The reply indicated that as at the expiration of the two-year transitional arrangements period since promulgation of the Criminal Law (Forensic Procedures) Amendment Act 37 of 2013 in January 2017, of the 114 709 Schedule 8 offenders in correctional centres then, a total of 43 717 sample reference numbers of such offenders were captured in the Admission and Release System of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS).

“Capturing of the buccal kit sample reference numbers by the DCS is for purpose of reporting offenders due for release to SAPS in order for their samples to be taken prior to release and to avoid subjecting offenders to the same procedure twice.”