Tough choices: Prioritising criminal justice policies

This paper looks at the role of the criminal justice system, and identifies key interventions to improve the performance of the police and prosecution

Given the constraints under which the criminal justice system is operating, policy makers need to prioritise key interventions which significantly enhance the performance of the criminal justice system in the short- to medium-term; are affordable; and enhance both public safety and the constitutional rights of all. Given these constraints, what choices do criminal justice policy makers have, and what course of action should they follow? This paper seeks to answer this question by looking at the role of the criminal justice system, and identifying key interventions to improve the performance of the police and prosecution services.

The paper argues that enhancing the capacity of the prosecution service should be a strategic priority. This should improve the performance of the entire criminal justice system within a short period of time. Boosting the capacity of the prosecution service is both affordable and manageable, and promises to make the greatest impact on the performance of the system as a whole.

About the author

Martin Schönteich works as a senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies’ Crime and Justice Programme. He is an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa, and has worked as a prosecutor for the Department of Justice. He holds a Bachelor of Law (LLB) degree from the University of Natal-Durban, and a postgraduate degree in political studies from the University of South Africa.