It really has been a while since we have seen Oscar’s name in the news, but today marks one year in prison.

He is currently behind bars at the Atteridgeville prison in Pretoria, having been moved from the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre a while back.

Rumours suggest that he is staying in a single prison cell after he lodged that request, but that has not been confirmed.

In a statement yesterday, Department of Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said “it is going very well with Oscar Pistorius”, adding that he demonstrates good behaviour and has a “positive attitude”.

Some more insight via News24:

Pistorius is classified as a group A medium inmate because he has shown ongoing good behaviour and participates is a variety of rehabilitation programmes.

According to Nxumalo, jail is a sufficient punishment for an offender.

“The goal is not to punish them [further], but to rehabilitate them.”

Nxumalo did not want to elaborate on which rehabilitation programmes Pistorius participates in, but said it takes place within the jail.

Pistorius, who has been in jail for exactly a year on Thursday, still has to serve out a two-year prison sentence before he can be considered for parole.

That’s two more years on top of the one he has already served, before he can be considered for parole. It’s certainly not a given that he will walk free when that time comes:

The State believes his six-year prison sentence is shockingly light and believes he should remain in jail for a longer period.

The State is making an application to the appeals court to appeal against his sentence.

[Criminal law expert Llewellyn] Curlewis said the parole board can do one of two things if Pistorius’s three-year prison sentence passes before the appeals court delivers a ruling.

Firstly, Pistorius’s parole application can be postponed until the court makes a ruling.

Secondly, the parole board can after three years hold a parole hearing, grant parole and release him.

If the court thereafter rules that he must serve a longer prison sentence, it would however cause practical problems, because Pistorius would then be required to report to jail again as he has done in the past.

According to Nxumalo, if Pistorius is freed on parole and then his sentence is extended via the Appeals Court, he will be required to return and serve out the remainder of his time.

So, has that update brought up some old rage by any chance?

[source:news24]