No abstract or keywords allocated in thesis / Department of Penology / D.Litt. et Phil.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Master's in Public Management, Durban University of Technology, 2017. / The purpose of the study explores the perception and experiences of students regarding weapons in schools, in a bid to create a peaceful and conducive learning environment. This study concentrated on four high schools in Umgungundlovu District. Students, educators and principals were asked to participate in this study on a voluntary basis. The study recognises that existing data related to weapons in South African schools is largely anecdotal. The significance of the study is that it collected data related to the weapons in schools and used data to inform recommendations on ways in which we can make schools safer places to the young people and staff. This was a mixed methods survey; however, the bulk of the findings were drawn from the quantitative data, which was conducted through surveys. The qualitative data was collected in interviews and in focus group discussions. The data revealed that a high proportion of students have seen weapons in school, which might be an indication that weapons find easy access onto school premises. The results revealed the types of weapons brought to schools. Knives were the weapons most seen at school followed by guns, while some other weapons mentioned were pepper sprays, screwdrivers, pangas and bats The study showed that in other schools, drugs, alcohol, substance abuse were reported in the sample. Among the contributing factors raised by the respondents on the reasons for the presence of weapons onto schools were the issue of drugs, alcohol, bullying, fights among students, and being involved on gang activities. Some policy recommendations regarding school security measures were proposed on the basis of the findings which were drawn from this study. As part of the study, it is recommended that the Department of Education ensure that all South African schools implement well-documented discipline policies, a code of conduct and school rules for their school which must clearly indicate seriousness of carrying a weapon in school as well as the consequences of misbehaviour. The policy must have steps to be followed by the principals and or educators where there are elements of misconduct against the students and sanctions to be issued if the student is found guilty. Other recommendations were made in line with the findings based on the results. Limitations of the study were further pointed out. / M

The security of its citizens is often regarded as the democratic state's primary raison d'etre. However, with increasing crime and perceptions of insecurity among citizens, along with actual and perceived state policing inadequacies, citizens around the world have sought to make alternative arrangements for their security. The explosion of private alternatives to state policing has resulted in the need for the replacement of former static definitions of policing by more fluid understandings of what policing entails. Policing is no longer an activity undertaken exclusively by the 'state police.' Policing needs to be understood within a framework which recognises the existence of a variety of state, commercial, community groups and individuals which exist within loose and sometimes informal, sometimes formal, networks to provide for the security of citizens. Preceding the country's transition to democracy in 1994 'state' policing in South Africa was aimed at monitoring and suppressing the black population and as a result it conducted itself in a largely militaristic way. When the government of national unity assumed power in 1994 it was indisputable that the South African Police had to undergo major reform if it was to play an effective, co-operative and accountable role in a democratic South Africa. While state policing has unquestionably undergone enormous changes since the advent of democracy in 1994, so too has non-state policing. It is widely accepted that the dividing line between state and non-state policing in South Africa is increasingly blurred. Policing, by its very nature, holds the potential to threaten democracy. Consequently it is important that policing is democratically controlled. According to the Law Commission of Canada four values and principles - justice, equality, accountability, and efficiency - should support policing in a democracy. This thesis is a case study of policing in Grahamstown, a small city in South Africa's Eastern Cape province. It will be shown that the policing problem that currently plagues Grahamstown, and by extension South Africa, is not simply the result of a shortage of providers but rather a problem of co-coordinating and monitoring security governance to ensure that the city does not further develop into a society where the wealthy have greater access to security than the poor.

Community policing is a joint community and police effort to reduce the incidents of crime, to the benefit of the basic human need of safety. Without community assistance, police alone cannot reduce the crime levels. Since 2012, there have been attempts to implement community policing in Westonaria. However, the success of the implementation thereof has proved to be problematic. The question arose as to what the reason for this limited success is. The researcher formulated research questions to determine the meaning of community policing, as well as the factors affecting the successful implementation thereof in the Westonaria policing precinct. To achieve the desired results, the researcher used different methodologies, and identified target groups and data collection techniques, which was analysed and interpreted. Literature and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Primary sources such as written materials of the South African Police Service (SAPS), National Development Plan 2030 and other documents that relate to community policing and crime prevention strategies were analysed. In addition, secondary sources such as dissertations and theses, newspaper articles and text books on community policing were also consulted. Interviews were conducted with SAPS members and local community members. The purposive sampling procedure was used to select participants who was knowledgeable and had experience on the research topic. This study gives an overall explanation of what community policing is, from the literature reviewed relevant to the study, with the aim to strengthen partnership between the SAPS and local community of Westonaria. Inhibiting factors in the police, as well as in the community, were identified and recommendations are made for the successful implementation of community policing in the area. / Criminology and Security Science / M.A. (Criminal Justice)

The main objective of this research is to analyse the role that traditional leadership plays in partnership policing in Limpopo, particularly in the Giyani and Malamulele areas, South Africa. Given the challenges associated with traditional initiation schools, the study investigated factors that hinder the effective participation of traditional leadership in partnership policing; explored the extent of partnership policing in rural areas in Limpopo that are led by traditional leaders; and examined best practices with regard to the roles of traditional leadership in partnership policing. Potential areas of non-compliance with and ignorance of the law, and the Constitution, were identified. The role of traditional leadership in other African countries, such as Ghana, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana, was also analysed. A comprehensive literature study on traditional leadership and international best practices on partnership policing was conducted. Traditional leaders play a vital role in the development process. Furthermore, traditional leaders play a significant role in resource mobilisation and political stability. The primary question guiding this study is: What is the role of traditional leadership in partnership policing in the rural areas of Limpopo? During the research process, in-depth interviews, non-participative observation and focus group interviews were conducted with the relevant role players. These role players included Chiefs, Indunas and Headmen, SAPS representatives, representatives from the Department of Community Safety and Liaison, as well as representatives from the Department of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs in Limpopo. The study fulfilled the following objectives:  Identified factors that hinder the effective participation of traditional leadership in partnership policing;  Explored the extent of partnership policing in rural areas, in Limpopo, led by traditional leaders; and  Examined international best practices with regard to the role of traditional leadership in partnership policing. Based on the findings of this study, a Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Policing Strategy (MSPPS) was developed. This strategy could serve as a recommendation to advise the SAPS of a more substantial role that traditional leadership could fulfil in partnership policing in the rural areas of Limpopo; this would also contribute towards further identifying best practices with a view to benchmark such a strategy in rural areas throughout South Africa. This study makes a significant contribution to the improvement of working relations between the police and traditional leadership in Limpopo. Secondly, the study promotes nation-building, harmony and peace between traditional leadership, the SAPS and other relevant stakeholders in the quest to prevent crimes associated with traditional cultural practices. / Political Sciences / D. Litt. et Phil. (Police Science)

The research project investigated the impact of the Firearms Control Act (FCA) 60 of 2000 in restricting gun ownership for at-risk individuals in the Pretoria North Firearm Registration Centre (FRC) policing area and identified prevention strategy as well as specific factors that contributed to this problem. Secondary prevention focuses on situational factors that reduces the means and opportunity for at-risk people to commit crime and can be applied in restricting firearms from at-risk individuals. One hundred and thirteen legal firearm owners in the Pretoria North FRC policing area responded to the questionnaire schedule. Data was also collected through interviews with Designated Firearm Officers (DFO) and court officials in that area. Specific factors have been identified that contribute to firearms landing in the hands of at-risk individuals in the Pretoria North FRC policing area. They are among others, poor administration of some sections of the FCA like background checks and section 102 and 103 unfitness declarations. The role of the DFO in continuous public education program on the FCA is also invaluable. The same goes to the general public s involvement in the identification of at-risk individuals. The South African Police Service management needs to address issues within the police service such as additional trained personnel, allocation of sufficient logistical resources like vehicles, computers and scanners to ensure effectiveness in restricting firearms from at-risk individuals. Several secondary role players have been identified that should work closely with the primary role players to address this problem. The recommendations drawn from conclusions as well as the inter-departmental role of all the different role players may assist in restricting firearms from at-risk individuals. / Police Practice / M.Tech. (Policing)

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie navorsing fokus op misdaadvoorkoming by nywerhede met Transvaal Suiker Beperk as geselekteerde studieveld. Die meganiese en fisiese misdaadvoorkomingsmaatreëls aan die hand van Oscar Newman se verdedigbare mimte model is as basis gebruik. Bestaande misdaadvoorkomingsmaatreëls te Transvaal Suiker Beperk is geëvalueer en aanbevelings is gemaak waar nodig. Die waarde van primêre fisiese versperrings ten opsigte van misdaadvoorkoming is beklemtoon tydens hierdie studie. Sonder die ondersteuning van konvensionele elektronika, en die insette van die mensfaktor, is fisiese misdaadvoorkomingsmaatreëls van geringe waarde. Omgewingsontwerp sluit hierby aan. Effektiewe misdaadvoorkoming verg deurlopende kreatiewe denke met toepaslike optrede. / This research focus on crime prevention at industries with Transvaal Sugar Limited as selected study field. The mechanical and physical crime prevention measures, based on Oscar Newman's defensible space model, was used as focus point. Crime prevention measures in place at Transvaal Sugar Limited was evaluated and the necessary recommendations made. The value of the primary physical barriers in regard off crime prevention was emphasised in this study. Without the support of conventional electronics, together with the inputs of the human factor, physical crime prevention measures will be of little value. Environmental design joins this field. Effective crime prevention needs continuous creative thinking together with the necessary action. / Criminolgy / M. A. (Kriminologie)

Motivation This project was of specific importance to the private security industry, victims of residential burglary, community policing forums and the South African Police Service in providing detailed information regarding recommendations of how to manage and combat residential burglary in two selected northern suburbs of Johannesburg. Problem statement Residential burglary is categorised in the top three highest reported crimes according to the official South African Police Service statistics for the 2006/7 financial years. A series of victim interviews, docket analysis, case plotting and residential security audit surveys were conducted to determine the extent (or lack thereof) of security measures at a burgled residence in the selected area. Approach Field data was collected through docket analysis, plotting crime scenes (descriptive mapping), victim interviews and residential security audit surveys. Results The majority of victims of burglary interviewed did not have the minimum security system (integrated measures) in place. Those victims, who had security measures, appeared not to have made or implemented effective use of them. Conclusion Security at a residence extends beyond just the immediate house area and the focus (security risk assessment) should start with the immediate neighbourhood (community) area working inwards towards the property perimeter (boundary), inner perimeter (garden area) and then finally the immediate house area. / CRIMINOLOGY / MTECH: SECURITY RISK MAN

In this research project the overcrowding problem in South African prisons will be analysed as well as the influence it had on the rehabilitation of offenders. The problem of overcrowding in South Africa's prisons is very clear when the approved accommodation of a prison is compared with the actual number of prisoners incarcerated. Prison sentences are a favoured form of punishment throughout the world. More and more people seek alternatives to incarceration in order to reduce prison overcrowding. The time to finalize criminal cases, releases on bail, the abolishment of minimum sentences and better utilization of community based sentences are some of the issues which can reduce overcrowding. One of the concepts that was implemented to establish rehabilitation within prisons was Unit Management. The number of prisoners incarcerated makes it difficult for Unit Management to be effective. In some cases prisoners are kept under inhumane conditions which is a violation of the Constitution of South Africa. Currently the morale of members of Correctional Services is very low and this has an influence on the way in which they treat prisoners. These members are supposed to be an example to prisoners but instead their bad behaviour has a negative influence on prisoner's discipline. Correctional Services goal is to make every member a rehabilitator but overcrowding will first have to be reduced. Individual attention to prisoners is one of the building blocks of Unit Management but overcrowding of prisons creates a member/prisoner ratio which is far too high to be effective with rehabilitating prisoners. Community based sentences can also be utilized more frequently by the courts. It can better rehabilitation possibilities and through this the objectives of punishment are met. In the past the focus of South African Law was on the criminal. With the Correctional Services Act (Act 111/1998) this focus was shifted to the victim as well. Both these parties can now come together and discuss the offence as well as the influence it had on the victim. This is called restorative justice and it helps the offender with re-integration into the community. / Criminology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Penology)

The basic mission of the police is to prevent crime and disorder and this translates into measuring police efficiency by the absence of crime and disorder rather than the visible actions taken to deal with crime and restore the violated order. For almost two centuries now, crime prevention has been understood and approached as the core responsibility of the police as they are the active partners who are responsible to activate the community who is the passive partner towards crime prevention. Recently there are scholars, police scientists and researchers who are of the view that the police cannot prevent crime so crime prevention should not be the core function of the police. The study gives a detailed analysis of the proponents and opponents of crime prevention as the core function of the police. This analysis has been provided in the context of the origin of policing through to the modern era in policing in an attempt to find out for which purpose the police had been established for. This is done in order to track down whether the initial purpose for which the police had been established for has changed in modern policing, with the ultimate aim of affirming or negating the proposition by some of the proponents of crime prevention as not the core function of the police, who are of the view that crime prevention should no longer be the core function of the police, as used to be the case.The arguments and counter arguments on whether crime prevention is the core function of the police or not, as well as the response from the selected countries were analyzed. The golden thread that runs through the eras of policing is that crime prevention is and has always been the main function of the police. The relative ease of measuring police performance by reactive activities in comparison with proactive activities seems to indicate that the police might focus more working on these measurable activities as compared to crime prevention activities that could go unnoticed. / Police Practice / D. Litt. et Phil. (Police Science)