South Africa’s supreme court of appeal is set to rule on whether prisoners should have access to computers for educational purposes during their incarceration.
In two previous cases, judges have ruled that the present policy, which prohibits or limits computer use, constitutes unfair discrimination, a ruling that the country’s ministry of justice and correctional services is appealing against. Currently, in South Africa, prisons’ policy either prohibits or limits computer use by inmates who have registered to study.
According to the ministry, allowing prisoners access to laptops in their cells would create a security threat. The ministry believes that inmates could smuggle modems into their cells or use illegal cellphones to create hotspots.
However, in a previous ruling, acting judge Molefe Matsemela said computers could be screened, and the respondents had not provided any evidence of security breaches.
“Prisoners should be encouraged to obtain further…
