Story by Tafara Chikumira
THE Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS)’s open prison framework has earned strong praise from regional correctional chiefs, who say the model reflects modern trends in rehabilitation and offender reintegration.
The approach, pioneered at Connemara Open Prison in 2000, prioritises skills development, community engagement and responsible freedom under supervision, preparing inmates to successfully transition back into society.
Regional heads of prison services, who concluded a benchmarking visit this week, said Zimbabwe’s execution of the model goes beyond policy and demonstrates practical, measurable reform.
“The system by ZPCS is the ideal model for rehabilitating offenders. Our task as regional leaders is very simple. We just need to do a copy-and-paste job. There are concepts in our countries, but the follow-up and management by ZPCS is top-notch,” Namibian Correctional Service, Commissioner General Raphael Tahafeni said.
“In Malawi, we have an open prison concept. However, we tend to prioritise security. What we have seen here is actually beyond the ordinary. This is real rehabilitation at play. We have some real takeaways as we also go to implement what we saw,” Malawi Prison Service, Commissioner General Wandika Phiri said.
“What is distinct about the ZPCS open prison concept is the fact that they put a lot of energy into engaging the offenders and the victims. This makes the whole concept of rehabilitation complete,” Tanzania Prison Service, Senior Assistant Commissioner Lipina Lyimo said.
The ZPCS disclosed that the open prison concept has created an avenue for the implementation of the parole system, set to be introduced by next year.
“We were happy that many of the tenets of the parole system were already being implemented under the open prison concept. What we are going to do with our pilot programme is to involve a small prison and an open prison as we start to roll out this process. It is a critical moment for the prisons in the region as we aim to fully implement the correctional system,” Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service, Commissioner General Dr Moses Chihobvu said.
The parole system will see prisoners being granted the opportunity to finish part of their prison sentences in the comfort of their homes.
