South African Crime Quarterly 3
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In late 2002 a number of bomb blasts brought home the realisation that the South African white right did not disappear after the 1994 election. The police have made a number of arrests and seem to have stopped the bombings – for now. The white right cannot garner the support necessary to execute a successful coup in South Africa. Martin Schönteich examines the potential White Right Threat
Neil Andersson and Sharmila Mhatre discuss combating sexual violence in the south of Johannesburg. By the time they turn 18 years of age, 20% of teenage girls and 13% of teenage boys living in the southern parts of Johannesburg have experienced sexual abuse. Constant exposure to sexual violence has forced them to choose between humiliation and survival.
The flood of media coverage over the past year focused attention on the horror of child rape. But for those working in the field, sexual abuse of children is not a new problem. What is worrying to service providers is the massive increase in the number of reported cases, the decrease in the average age of both victims and offenders, the escalation of the use of force, the number of gang rapes, and the number of children victims who are HIV positive. Joan van Niekerk considers the trends and possible solutions.
Sibusiso Masuku examines crime trends in South Africa for 2002. National and provincial police crime figures indicate that crime has, to a certain extent, levelled off in the course of 2002. Murder continues to decline, as does vehicle theft. However, the trends for car hijacking are less positive.
A poll of inner-city residents indicates that many are willing to permit substantial curtailment of civil rights if necessary to make the area safe. Over 80% of those polled said they would be open to the idea of police searching their homes once a month if this would reduce crime. Ted Leggett evaluates public opinion on crime and justice in central Johannesburg.
Martin Schonteich finds the general public confidence in the criminal justice system and the government’s handling of crime is low, according to the Institute for Security Studies survey. Yet, most people trust the police and would willingly give evidence in court.
A decision to introduce new generation prisons, based on the concept of unit management, was aimed at easing overcrowding and promoting the rehabilitation of offenders. The two new privately run prisons in South Africa are based on this concept, and have been in operation for a little over a year. Makubetse Sekhonyane looks at the pros and cons of Public-private partnerships (PPP) in South African prisons.
