Zambia Correctional Service
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Corrections | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Country |  Zambia |
| Type | Corrections |
| Role | Custodial and Rehabilitation |
| Size | 5000 Active duty personnel |
| Part of | National Security services |
| Headquarters | Lusaka |
| Motto | To provide quality correctional services |
| Colours | |
| Mascot | African Eagle |
| Anniversaries | Prisons Day: 26 September |
| Website | www.zambiacorrections.gov.zm |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-chief |  Hakainde Hichilema |
| Minister of Home Affairs | Jack Mwiimbu |
| Commissioner General | CG Frederick S.S Chilukutu |
| Deputy Commissioner General | DCG Bwalya kuyomba |
The Zambia Correctional Service abbreviated as ZCS,[1] formerly known as the Zambia Prisons Service, is a government agency responsible for prisons and correctional centers in Zambia as well as the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders into society. Officially established on Independence Day, its origins trace back to the colonial era, rooted in the formation of law enforcement agencies during the British South Africa Company's governance. In 2016, the service underwent a name change to its current form. The functions of the Zambia Correctional Service are outlined in the Zambia Correctional Service Act, 2021.[2] The service also sponsors Prison Leopards Football Club, a Kabwe-based football team competing in the Zambia Super League, reflecting its involvement in community engagement and sports development.[3][4]
The early foundations of the Northern Rhodesia Prisons Service can be traced back to the establishment of the Northern Rhodesia Police Force in 1899, which led to the creation of law enforcement entities such as the Barotse Native Police and the North-Eastern Rhodesia Constabulary.[5][6] Prisons became a necessity in the early 1900s, with records from October 13, 1904, revealing the need for an Order-In-Council to address inadequate prison facilities. Before the dedicated Prisons Service, the police force managed prisons, and in 1912, prison administration was reorganized under the office of the Attorney General.In 1923, the proposal for an independent Prisons Service emerged, resulting in the return of prison management to the police force in 1927. The title 'Commissioner of Prisons' was introduced in 1931, and in 1938, Mr. T.C. Fynn recommended the separation of prisons from the police force.[7]
The independent Prisons Service was officially established in 1942, marking the birth of the Northern Rhodesia Prisons Service. The Rhodesia Prison Service (RPS) was establishment in 1954, which was a law enforcement agency responsible for the administration of the Rhodesian prison system. The RPS was established as the Southern Rhodesia Prison Department and was incorporated into the federal prison service of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. It continued as the prison service of independent Rhodesia during the UDI period and was dissolved upon Zimbabwe's independence in 1980.[8]
