Reducing violence in South Africa: from policing to prevention

To reduce violence, South Africa’s government needs to spend more on prevention, not criminal justice.

This policy brief flows from and contributes to discussions held at the Dialogue Forum for Evidence-Based Programmes to Prevent Violence against Women and Children. The forum, established in 2015, brings together academics, local and international non-governmental organisations that are evaluating violence-prevention programmes, and government officials. The government departments involved include the Departments of Basic Education; Women; Social Development; Health; Justice; Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation; and the National Treasury. The forum seeks to build strong, healthy inter-sectoral relationships, catalyse action and support processes that will lead to the sustainable implementation of evidence-based programmes to prevent violence in South Africa. It is convened by the Institute for Security Studies and guided by a driver group that includes representatives from Save the Children South Africa, the Medical Research Council, the Department of Women and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

About the authors

Dr Chandré Gould is a Senior Research Fellow in the Justice and Violence Prevention Programme at the ISS.

Diketso Mufamadi is a Research Assistant in the Justice and Violence Prevention Programme at the ISS.

Dr Celia Hsiao is Research Manager at Save the Children South Africa.

Matodzi Amisi is a Director of Evaluation in the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation.

Picture: Don Pinnock