Acta Criminologica 23(3) 2010 88 A CASE STUDY OF FEMALE INCARCERATION IN SOUTH AFRICA WFM Luyt N du Preez College of Law University of South Africa ABSTRACT In South Africa correctional centres focus primarily on the majority male population (nearly 98% of the inmate population). This often leads to a neglect of the needs of incarcerated women. The first section of this discussion provides a historical account of this extremely vulnerable minority group where-after research findings are presented on the demographics of female incarceration together with an exposition of conditions in corrections. Finally, the phenomenon of incarcerated mothers is explored focussing on both the issue of children who are allowed to stay with their mothers in correctional centres, as well as those who have to remain in open society while the mother remains incarcerated. INTRODUCTION When studying incarceration, it is necessary to understand the origin of a particular aspect of the system that would constitute the context of a study. From a historical perspective, the first part of the article provides therefore an overview of the origin and development of female incarceration in South. However, both locally and abroad the female inmate population usually constitutes a very small portion of the correctional population. For this very reason, it is often a neglected population, not only in terms of programmes and services delivery to this minority group but also from a research perspective. Incarcerated women experience specific problems, and with the following discussion research findings are presented on conditions in female correctional centres. In addition, as many incarcerated women are plagued by concerns about their children, the final part of the study refers to the phenomenon of incarcerated mothers. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE ORIGIN OF INCARCERATION IN SOUTH AFRICA The South African correctional system originated in Britain (Venter, 1959). After a period of nearly 50 years of apartheid rule and oppression of the majority of the population in South Africa, the first democratic order is now in its second decade (Luyt, 2008a). During the 1990s, the correctional system underwent extreme transformation. This included: becoming an independent department (1990); releasing political inmates (since 1990); implementing community corrections (1991); ending inmate separation on racial grounds (1993); incorporating five correctional systems into one (1993); allowing inmates to vote (1994); adapting to Constitutional dictates (dictated by the 1993 and 1996 Constitutions); addressing representivity (1995); demilitarisation (1996); implementing new legislation (1998, 2004 and 2008); introducing a judicial inspectorate (1998); opening super maximum correctional centres (1999); implementing unit management (2000 and various subsequent re- launches); and opening private correctional facilities (2001) (Luyt, 2001; Luyt, 2008a).