Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has announced that Zimbabwe’s new parole framework, scheduled for unveiling next year, will be pivotal in decongesting prisons and strengthening rehabilitation.
Speaking at the inaugural African Parole System Conference in Harare on Monday, the Vice President said the expanded system, upheld by the Prisons and Correctional Service Act, marks a “critical turning point” as the government transitions toward a more humane penal system.
The new framework allows for the conditional release of inmates and facilitates their reintegration into communities under supervision before the completion of their full sentences.
Chiwenga said that previous models were excessively restrictive, primarily limited to those with terminal illnesses, and failed to support effective social re-entry.
He said a State Parole Board will lead the “structured, transparent, and progressive” system, focusing on risk assessment and the protection of the public.
Chiwenga stressed that these reforms, alongside significant infrastructure investment and digital technology integration, aim to shift the focus from punishment to personal transformation.
He further called for Pan-African collaboration through bodies such as the African Correctional Services Association to ensure collective progress in correctional reform.
More: ZimLive
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