This research focused on the personal experiences of both male and female victims of violent crimes. The aim of this research was to explore how indigenous Black South Africans understand and deal with victimisation. An African epistemology was used to help gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of the participants. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling strategy. Five participants were selected for this study. Data was collected using individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Based on the transcribed data, themes were extracted and analysed using content analysis. The results indicate that participants attributed varying meanings to their victimisation. / Psychology / M. A. (Clinical Psychology)

Criminal career research postulates that offending behaviour develops over time during the course of one’s life. Thus, delinquency is not an isolated incident which occurs at a certain moment in time. This research comprises a mixed-method study of the criminal career of 40 offenders who perpetrated robberies against the banking and CIT industries. Through this research, an exploration is made for possibilities of using criminal career research to develop results which will guide crime prevention policies. The qualitative methodology used for this research included semi-structured interviews in order to collect information on motivations of armed robbers and the various mechanics (i.e. planning, recruitment, group dynamics) of the crime of armed robbery. Through the use of structured questionnaires, biographical data, information on risk factors and figures on the different aspects of a criminal career, such as age of offending onset, offending frequency and seriousness, and career length, were all gathered. The general findings of this research demonstrate that offending onset occurs between the ages of 11 and 15 with petty crimes, and then escalates to serious crimes. Secondly, witnessed throughout the dissertation is the fact that development of delinquent behaviour is not a result of a single risk factor but an outcome of multiple risk factors. Subsequently, a suggestion is made for the introduction of multifaceted deterrence programmes, which will holistically deal with the various offending risk factors (i.e. family, community and the offender’s personal risk factors as well as peer and school dynamics). Thirdly, armed robbers are responsible for various other crimes in the process of committing the offence of robbery. Accordingly, this study confirms the criminal career notion that a small number of chronic offenders are responsible for a large number of offences. That is why it is recommended that policy makers pay attention to disrupting the criminal career of this small number of high risk offenders. / Department of Criminology and Security Science / M.A. (Criminology)

Criminal career research postulates that offending behaviour develops over time during the course of one’s life. Thus, delinquency is not an isolated incident which occurs at a certain moment in time. This research comprises a mixed-method study of the criminal career of 40 offenders who perpetrated robberies against the banking and CIT industries. Through this research, an exploration is made for possibilities of using criminal career research to develop results which will guide crime prevention policies. The qualitative methodology used for this research included semi-structured interviews in order to collect information on motivations of armed robbers and the various mechanics (i.e. planning, recruitment, group dynamics) of the crime of armed robbery. Through the use of structured questionnaires, biographical data, information on risk factors and figures on the different aspects of a criminal career, such as age of offending onset, offending frequency and seriousness, and career length, were all gathered. The general findings of this research demonstrate that offending onset occurs between the ages of 11 and 15 with petty crimes, and then escalates to serious crimes. Secondly, witnessed throughout the dissertation is the fact that development of delinquent behaviour is not a result of a single risk factor but an outcome of multiple risk factors. Subsequently, a suggestion is made for the introduction of multifaceted deterrence programmes, which will holistically deal with the various offending risk factors (i.e. family, community and the offender’s personal risk factors as well as peer and school dynamics). Thirdly, armed robbers are responsible for various other crimes in the process of committing the offence of robbery. Accordingly, this study confirms the criminal career notion that a small number of chronic offenders are responsible for a large number of offences. That is why it is recommended that policy makers pay attention to disrupting the criminal career of this small number of high risk offenders. / Department of Criminology and Security Science / M.A. (Criminology)

A First Responding Officer plays a significant role at the crime scene. Failure to handle the crime scene in accordance with official directives such as the South African Police Service National Instruction 1 of 2015 and National Crime Combatting Forum Instruction 10 of 2015, which are regarded as guiding tools for the successful administration of a crime scene, may jeopardize a case. The crime scene is also regarded as the primary source of information that can assist the investigation. When the crime scene is handled in accordance with the SAPS official directives, the suspects can be more readily identified. Furthermore, the investigation can be concluded successfully whereby it may be beneficial for the community. / Mohlankedi wa maphodisa wa mathomo yo a fihlago lefelong la bosenyi o raloka tema ye bohlokwa fao tiragalong ya bosenyi. Go palelwa ke go laola tiragalo yeo ya bosenyi ka go latela ditaelo tsa semmuso tsa go swana le Taelo ya Bosetshaba ya bo 1 ya 2015 ya Tirelo ya Maphodisa ya Afrika Borwa (SAPS) le Taelo ya Bosetshaba ya bo 10 ya Seboka sa go Lwantsha Bosenyi ya 2015, e lego tseo di bonwago bjalo ka ditlabelo tseo di hlahlago maphodisa go laola tiragalo ya bosenyi ka katlego, go ka senya molato. Lefelo la bosenyi le lona le bonwa bjalo ka mothopo o bohlokwa wa tshedimoso wo o ka thusago dinyakisiso. Ge lefelo la bosenyi le ka laolwa go latela ditaelo tsa semmuso tsa SAPS, bagononelwa ba ka utollwa gabonolo. Godimo ga fao, dinyakisiso di ka phethwa ka katlego fao e lego gore se se ka hola setshaba. / Motlhankedi yo o tsibogang la ntlha o na le seabe sa botlhokwa kwa lefelong la bosenyi. Go retelelwa ke go diragatsa mo lefelong la bosenyi go ya ka dikaelo tsa semmuso di tshwana le Taelo ya Bosetshaba ya bo1 ya 2015 ya Tirelo ya Sepodisi sa Aforikaborwa (SAPS) le Taelo ya bo 10 ya 2015 ya Foramo ya Bosetshaba ya Twantsho ya Bosenyi, tse di tsewang e le didiriswa tsa kaelo tsa tsamaiso e e atlegileng ya lefelo la bosenyi, go ka nna matshosetsi mo kgetsing. Gape lefelo la bosenyi le tsewa e le motswedi wa ntlha wa tshedimosetso o o ka thusang ka dipatlisiso. Fa tiragatso ya mo lefelong la bosenyi e dirwa go ya ka dikaelo tsa semmuso tsa SAPS, go ka supiwa babelaelwa ka bonako. Mo godimo ga moo, dipatlisiso di ka konosediwa ka katlego mme seo se ka nna mosola mo baaging. / Criminology and Security Science / M. Tech. (Forensic Investigation)