Public, Constitutional and International Law / LL. M.

The history of the criminal justice system in South Africa, in the last decade is a history dominated by the desire for change and transformation. It will be remembered that we are talking of a system which, in the past, formed part of the State apparatus of a minority government which included racist elements and highly restrictive legal regime in dealing with communities, crime and criminals. The criminal justice system is constituted by four core departments, namely: the South African Police Services; Department of Justice, Correctional Services and Welfare. The argument is whether the volunteers from the community should be involved at all in the fight against crime or not. Some people feel that a system· of justice should be controlled by professionals, who are accountable for their decisions, namely: the Police, Justice, and Correctional Services. However, the research revealed that a system which excludes the community from participating, will render itself ineffective and open to abuse. This topic should be further researched within each department in the criminal justice system in order to explore possibilities of attracting volunteers in the transformation of their respective departments. / Penology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Penology)

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The focus in this research report is the violation of the constitutional rights of a young person in conflict with the law in the Cape Town Magisterial District. This violation is caused by the lack of collaboration between the different role players. The situation can be rectified with a policy intervention which will ensure multi-disciplinary collaboration between the role players. The researcher proves that stipulations in section 28 of the Constitution, Act 108 of 1996, are violated because the different role players in the juvenile justice system of Cape Town magisterial district work in a fragmented manner and do not operate as a unit. The young person in conflict with law is harmed in this process. The situation can be rectified through a policy intervention. The policy intervention entails a uniform administrative procedure, the drafting and implementation of a working agreement between the role players, establishing a communication network, combined and integrated training and a multi-disciplinary committee that evaluates and monitors these aspects. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die fokus van hierdie navorsingverslag is die skending van die grondwetlike regte van die jong persoon in botsing met die gereg binne die Kaapstad se landdrosdistrik. Die skendings is vanweë die gebrek aan samewerking tussen die verskillende rolspelers. Die situasie kan deur middel van 'n beleidintervensie reggestel word ten einde multi-dissiplinêre samewerking tussen die rolspelers te verseker. Die navorser bewys dat bepalings in artikel 28 van die Grondwet, Wet 108 van 1996, geskend word omdat die verskillende rolspelers in die jeugregstel van Kaapstad se landdrosdistrik gefragmenteerd werk en nie as 'n eenheid funksioneer nie. Die jong persoon in botsing met die gereg word benadeel in die proses. Die situasie kan deur middel van 'n beleidsintervensie reggestel word. Die beleidsintervensie behels dat daar 'n eenvormige administratiewe proses gevolg word, 'n samewerkingsooreenkoms tussen die rolspelers opgestel word, 'n kommunikasienetwerk gevestig word, gesamentlike en geïntegreerde opleiding plaasvind en dat 'n multi-dissiplinêre komitee die gemelde aspekte evalueer en moniteer.