The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has published data detailing reoffending rates among parolees and probationers in South Africa, along with the most common offences committed by repeat offenders under community corrections over the past five years.

Reoffending Among Supervised Offenders

According to the figures, thousands of parolees and probationers have reoffended each year while still under supervision. In the 2024/25 period to date, 5,682 parolees and 882 probationers committed new offences from a total supervised population of 52,556 individuals. Similar figures were recorded in the previous four years, with reoffending among parolees ranging from 4,489 to 5,222 cases annually, and probationers between 797 and 1,264 cases.

The number of revocations, referring to the cancellation of parole or probation due to new offences or breaches of conditions, also remains consistently high. There were 6,564 revocations in the current reporting period, with annual totals in recent years fluctuating between approximately 5,200 and 6,500.

No Monitoring After Sentence Expiry

The DCS confirmed that it does not monitor individuals beyond their Sentence Expiry Date (SED). In terms of the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998, section 73(2), oversight by the department ends once an individual has completed the full term of their sentence, including any community corrections. As a result, reoffending data is only available for individuals still serving parole or probation, and not for released prisoners who have served their full terms.

Most Common Offences Among Repeat Offenders

The department tracks offences committed by those who reoffend while under community corrections. Between 2020 and 2025, the most frequently committed offences include:

• Assault, including grievous bodily harm, with 351 cases recorded in 2024/25

• Housebreaking and theft, rising to 488 cases in the current year

• Theft, with 523 offences recorded in 2024/25

• Rape, showing a significant increase to 303 cases this year

• Robbery, with combined counts exceeding 470 cases in 2024/25

• Possession of drugs, increasing to 155 cases this year

Other notable offences include attempted murder, sexual assault, kidnapping, and possession of stolen goods. Certain categories, such as rape, theft, and housebreaking, have shown a marked increase over the past two reporting years.

Data Limitations

While the department can provide detailed statistics on individuals under its supervision, it does not maintain or publish recidivism data for offenders who have fully completed their sentences. This presents a limitation in assessing broader reoffending trends within the general population of released prisoners.