Paying for crime: South African spending on criminal justice

This paper explores how SA`s criminal justice system has evolved over the past decade by looking at the approach government has taken to resourcing it

This paper explores how South Africa`s criminal justice system has evolved over the past decade by looking at the approach government has taken to resourcing it. It describes the growth in expenditure on criminal justice, disaggregating this between departments and over time. It suggests that South Africa`s spending on criminal justice exceeds international norms, but that on a per capita basis and in relation to our levels of crime, the criminal justice system is relatively under-resourced. It argues, however, that it would be unaffordable to attempt to match our levels of resources to international norms and that, in any event, the current prioritisation of increased social expenditure over increased criminal justice spending has not negatively affected crime levels.

About the author

Antony Altbeker is a senior researcher in the Crime and Justice Programme of the ISS. He has previously worked as a senior manager at the National Treasury where he played a role in the work of the justice cluster. This paper was reviewed by some of his former colleagues from the National Treasury, but the author is solely responsible for any errors and omissions.