Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies / MPM

MA ( Psychology) / Dpartment of Psychology

Thesis(M.A. (Criminology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The purpose of this study was to explore street robberies at Bungeni village, situated under Makhado Municipality of Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study sought to identify factors contributing to street robberies, to assess experiences of victims of these robberies and to determine measures that can be applied to prevent them. This qualitative study applied the exploratory research design to recruit participants using non-probability sampling techniques, specifically purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Thirteen (13) participants, including ten (10) victims of street robbery and three (3) local SAPS officials 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 Thematic Content Analysis (TCA). This study established that there are factors that contribute to the occurrence of street robberies; victims are affected by street robberies (i.e. be it social, psychological and financial); and that there are measures that may reduce the occurrence of these robberies. Findings of the research indicate that factors such as time, space, individual’s lifestyle and routine activities contribute to victims being robbed in the streets and that these victims experience victimisation of street robberies differently. For recommendations, this study argues that some of these factors are lifestyle exposure, individual activities, spatial and temporal factors. Street robberies are characterised by the use of weapons, force and threat of force by offenders. Lastly, street robberies have a negative impact on victims. Keywords: Aggravated robbery, Crime prevention, Robbery, Street robbery and Victims

MA (Youth Development) / Institute of Gender and Youth Studies / See the attached abstract below

MA (Psychology) / Department of Psychology / Recidivism refers to re-offending behaviour, and recidivists are usually individuals who were arrested repeatedly for the same or different offences. The aim of this study was to explore the psychological effects of recidivism amongst male youth in Musina. This study employed the qualitative research approach because it required elaborated information which this paradigm promotes. This research adopted an exploratory design. The participants were selected through the use of purposive and snowball sampling. Data was gathered using semi-structured face to face interviews. The researcher used a voice recorder and a note pad to record the collected data. The findings of this study indicated that peer pressure, lack of education and unemployment, substance abuse, poverty, child neglect, parenting and supervision were the most common factors contributing to recidivism. The results of this study indicated that recidivists often commit petty crimes. The participants stated that these crimes included pick-pocketing, mugging, shoplifting and house breaking. Serious crimes were not common amongst the recidivists because only few of them committed serious crimes. The participants also reported that recidivism has negative impacts on their own personal lives, their families as well as on their education.

This research is concerned with the value of the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) as a technique in the identification of suspects. A problem was identified in the withdrawal of cases where suspects had been identified by means of fingerprints. The study attempted to determine the value of AFIS in the identification of suspects, to find new knowledge that could improve the situation and suggest ways to apply this knowledge to enhance the performance of AFIS experts, criminal investigators and the prosecution in a court of law. The study adopted a multi-method approach to data collection, with the researcher using a literature review, docket analysis and interviews with AFIS experts from Limpopo Province as his sources of data. The results of the study showed that AFIS is a valuable system for the identification of fingerprints in that it is fast and accurate but that in South Africa AFIS experts encounter a number of challenges with the system. The main challenges identified were the potential for the system to be attacked by computer hackers; the slowness of creating an SAPS 69 record, particularly when dealing with prints of poor quality; which leads to cases being closed where AFIS experts’ evidence is not tested/accepted; and the fact that in South Africa AFIS is not applied across government departments, which would allow a more comprehensive database. On the basis of these findings, the study recommends that steps be taken to improve the quality of prints taken at crime scenes, that attention be paid to speeding up the process of dealing with the relevant SAPS 69 records, that investigators and prosecutors be informed about the AFIS process and that the AFIS database be extended to include the fingerprints of all South Africans and immigrants to the country. Lastly, the study suggests that the databases of government departments such as Home Affairs, Public Works Roads & Transport and Safety Security & Liaison (Traffics) be combined to form one national database. / Police Practice / M. Tech. (Forensic Investigation)