UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA (UNISA)
College of Law – Department of Corrections Management
⋄
Corrections of Youth Offenders
Assignment 2 — Semester 2, 2026
⋄
Module Code: PEN3705
Module Name: Corrections of Youth Offenders
Assignment No.: Assignment 2
Due Date: September 2026
Semester: Semester 2, 2026
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for Corrections of Youth Offenders
at the University of South Africa.
,UNISA | PEN3705 Corrections of Youth Offenders — Assignment 2
Question 1: Gangsterism in Correctional Centres
The Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998 charges the Department of Correctional Services
(DCS) with the custody, rehabilitation, and social reintegration of sentenced offenders, yet
gang structures inside correctional centres actively undermine each of these mandates.
Gangsterism is not an incidental disciplinary problem but an organised, sometimes generations-
old subculture that competes with the institution for authority over inmates (Nel, 2017).
1.1 The Nature of Gangsterism in South African Correctional Centres
South African correctional gangs, most notably the numbers gangs (the 26s, 27s and 28s),
operate parallel governance systems with their own ranks, codes of conduct, and initiation
rites. Membership is frequently framed to new admissions as a form of protection in an over-
crowded and violent environment, which explains why recruitment pressure is highest during
the first days after admission (Nel, 2017). The Commission for Gender Equality’s national
study on gangs confirms that gang culture which is prevalent in particular communities does
not stay outside the gate: it infiltrates correctional centres and schools alike, and offenders
frequently carry gang affiliation with them into custody or acquire it once inside (Commis-
sion for Gender Equality, 2024). Because these structures reproduce themselves inside the
correctional environment, gangsterism must be treated by unit and case management as a
criminogenic risk factor in its own right, not merely as a security nuisance.
1.2 Physical Signs of Gangsterism
Correctional officials are trained to read a cluster of physical and behavioural indicators, since
no single sign is conclusive on its own. Table 1 summarises the main categories.
Reading these signs correctly matters practically: the Judicial Inspectorate and DCS’s own
reporting have repeatedly linked overcrowding, contraband circulation and unmanaged gang
hierarchies to violence, HIV transmission risk through shared tattooing equipment, and the
undermining of rehabilitation programmes (dos Santos et al., 2014). Nel’s (2017) case study
of Barberton management area concludes that gang activity persists partly because officials
are not consistently trained to identify and respond to these indicators, and because existing
rehabilitation programmes are available but under-utilised for gang-affiliated offenders. Ad-
dressing gangsterism therefore requires the redesign of physical layouts to reduce unsuper-
Page 1 of 17
, UNISA | PEN3705 Corrections of Youth Offenders — Assignment 2
Table 1: Physical Signs of Gangsterism in Correctional Centres
Sign Description
Tattoos Gang-specific tattoos (numbers, stars, dots, or symbolic imagery)
mark rank and allegiance and are frequently applied with impro-
vised, shared instruments, which also raises infection risk within the
facility (Nel, 2017; dos Santos et al., 2014).
Hand signs and ges- Coded hand signs, salutes, or ways of standing are used to com-
tures municate rank, warnings, or instructions without verbal speech,
particularly across cells or during exercise periods.
Scarring and self- Deliberate scarification is sometimes used, in addition to tattoos, to
inflicted marks signal loyalty or to mark a violent initiation event.
Distinctive dress or Specific colours, the folding of a uniform, or a particular hairstyle
grooming can denote gang colours or status within the group.
Graffiti and markings Cell walls, communal areas and personal property are marked with
gang symbols or numbers as territorial claims.
Possession of contra- Homemade weapons, tattooing equipment and unauthorised com-
band munication devices are commonly recovered from known gang
members.
Behavioural cluster- Consistent grouping around a senior member, coordinated silence,
ing and intimidation and visible intimidation of non-members point to an active cell
structure.
vised gathering points, dedicated official training in indicator recognition, and the deliberate
inclusion of identified gang members in rehabilitation and unit management structures rather
than their isolation from these processes (Nel, 2017).
Page 2 of 17
College of Law – Department of Corrections Management
⋄
Corrections of Youth Offenders
Assignment 2 — Semester 2, 2026
⋄
Module Code: PEN3705
Module Name: Corrections of Youth Offenders
Assignment No.: Assignment 2
Due Date: September 2026
Semester: Semester 2, 2026
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for Corrections of Youth Offenders
at the University of South Africa.
,UNISA | PEN3705 Corrections of Youth Offenders — Assignment 2
Question 1: Gangsterism in Correctional Centres
The Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998 charges the Department of Correctional Services
(DCS) with the custody, rehabilitation, and social reintegration of sentenced offenders, yet
gang structures inside correctional centres actively undermine each of these mandates.
Gangsterism is not an incidental disciplinary problem but an organised, sometimes generations-
old subculture that competes with the institution for authority over inmates (Nel, 2017).
1.1 The Nature of Gangsterism in South African Correctional Centres
South African correctional gangs, most notably the numbers gangs (the 26s, 27s and 28s),
operate parallel governance systems with their own ranks, codes of conduct, and initiation
rites. Membership is frequently framed to new admissions as a form of protection in an over-
crowded and violent environment, which explains why recruitment pressure is highest during
the first days after admission (Nel, 2017). The Commission for Gender Equality’s national
study on gangs confirms that gang culture which is prevalent in particular communities does
not stay outside the gate: it infiltrates correctional centres and schools alike, and offenders
frequently carry gang affiliation with them into custody or acquire it once inside (Commis-
sion for Gender Equality, 2024). Because these structures reproduce themselves inside the
correctional environment, gangsterism must be treated by unit and case management as a
criminogenic risk factor in its own right, not merely as a security nuisance.
1.2 Physical Signs of Gangsterism
Correctional officials are trained to read a cluster of physical and behavioural indicators, since
no single sign is conclusive on its own. Table 1 summarises the main categories.
Reading these signs correctly matters practically: the Judicial Inspectorate and DCS’s own
reporting have repeatedly linked overcrowding, contraband circulation and unmanaged gang
hierarchies to violence, HIV transmission risk through shared tattooing equipment, and the
undermining of rehabilitation programmes (dos Santos et al., 2014). Nel’s (2017) case study
of Barberton management area concludes that gang activity persists partly because officials
are not consistently trained to identify and respond to these indicators, and because existing
rehabilitation programmes are available but under-utilised for gang-affiliated offenders. Ad-
dressing gangsterism therefore requires the redesign of physical layouts to reduce unsuper-
Page 1 of 17
, UNISA | PEN3705 Corrections of Youth Offenders — Assignment 2
Table 1: Physical Signs of Gangsterism in Correctional Centres
Sign Description
Tattoos Gang-specific tattoos (numbers, stars, dots, or symbolic imagery)
mark rank and allegiance and are frequently applied with impro-
vised, shared instruments, which also raises infection risk within the
facility (Nel, 2017; dos Santos et al., 2014).
Hand signs and ges- Coded hand signs, salutes, or ways of standing are used to com-
tures municate rank, warnings, or instructions without verbal speech,
particularly across cells or during exercise periods.
Scarring and self- Deliberate scarification is sometimes used, in addition to tattoos, to
inflicted marks signal loyalty or to mark a violent initiation event.
Distinctive dress or Specific colours, the folding of a uniform, or a particular hairstyle
grooming can denote gang colours or status within the group.
Graffiti and markings Cell walls, communal areas and personal property are marked with
gang symbols or numbers as territorial claims.
Possession of contra- Homemade weapons, tattooing equipment and unauthorised com-
band munication devices are commonly recovered from known gang
members.
Behavioural cluster- Consistent grouping around a senior member, coordinated silence,
ing and intimidation and visible intimidation of non-members point to an active cell
structure.
vised gathering points, dedicated official training in indicator recognition, and the deliberate
inclusion of identified gang members in rehabilitation and unit management structures rather
than their isolation from these processes (Nel, 2017).
Page 2 of 17
