Results revealed significant improvements since the political climate began to change in the country in 1990. Nevertheless, South Africa's ratio of inmates to its population is among the highest in the world. In addition, many aspects of prison life remain unchanged form the years of official apartheid. South African prisons are places of extreme violence; assaults on prisoners by correctional guards and other inmates are common and often fatal. The prison system could be substantially improved, even without major costs to the taxpayer. Changes should focus on benefits, the handling of juvenile offenders, inmate access to information, abuse and punishment by correctional guards, the holding of prisoners in police lockups, cell space, food, exercise, visits, legal representation, vocational training, and correctional personnel management.