“There is no keener revelation to a society’s soul than the way it treats its children” -Nelson Mandela In places deemed safe for our children, they are being exposed, tainted and scarred by the darkness of crime - eight times as much as our adults. In desperation, some of our children seek support within their dysfunctional families but they fail. As their cries for a way out are unheard, the soul of our nation turns to crime as an alternative. This thesis explores the physical and emotional instability of children as a result of prevailing crime. Instability that, in cases, leads children into a life of crime. The look into statistics regarding children and crime intensifies the urgency of the problem. The aim of the new justice act is to divert children away from the formal justice system (a fairly new approach launched in 2010). An interview with social worker Esmé Jacobs pointed out that the use of a diversion center was a step in the right direction. In this thesis, the use of Martial Arts is being promoted and highlighted as the diversion. Martial Arts is used as a means to allow our brittle children to be nurtured, to be integrated in a safe environment, to be guided onto the best path, and can be seen as an alternative family entity. Martial arts was uncovered through its history and philosophies, and analyzed through its structures and composition. The effects of the practice of Martial Arts are prominent in the interview with Paul De Beer – an architect and one of the highest qualified aikido practitioners. De Beer introduces the look into a Clinical Martial Arts Programme for rehabilitation for children at risk. Martial Arts and nature are one. Architecturally, the concept embodies the amalgamation of nature and architectural design: The flow from one into the other; the concepts of openness and all-inclusiveness within Martial Arts are points to respect when creating the space for the recuperation of our children, and the architectural challenge of giving our at-risk children a chance at life by creating a second home and not an incarceration facility. Dojo Stara Wiés, the world’s largest performance training centre and a home for Martial Arts and Martial Artists alike, offers a platform to experience of the spirit, atmosphere and philosophy of Japanese Martial Arts. Dojo Stara Wiés was analysed to correctly expose the connection between Martial Arts and architecture and how they both embody the same energy and philosophies. Site selection had the prerequisites of educational, recreational and community facilities. Belief systems show the importance of water in cleansing and rebirth, therefore a site with water was crucial as it would aid change. The above elements were a priority when choosing a site so that children would be fully integrated within the environment and the community. Germiston Lake was chosen and analysed as the site for the Diversion Centre. A Martial Arts Diversion Centre: a young architect’s conscious effort to heal our children through the use of architecture in conjunction with the principles of Martial Arts. “Architects today tend to depreciate themselves, to regard themselves as no more than just ordinary citizens without the power to reform the future.” – Kenzo Tange

The action in distressed situations must be resolved in accordance with the laws and regulations that the police must take into consideration. In order to achieve this in the best possible way, the individual police officers sense of security in the situation is a key factor. A security that is closely associated with a deeper knowledgement, a feeling that arises when you feel in control of the situation, regardless of whether physical violence is ongoing or imminent. The individual´s own insight into their own ability means that the individual police officer will resolve the situation quickly and efficiently, which is described as a feeling of being one step ahead, being able to control the course of events. A belief that one can initially solve the situation through communication, physical coercion or finally with the tools available on the belt. The actions of an individual police officer in distressed situations depend on the knowledge and experience that the individual already possessed. It can be experiences from more controlled situations like MAT, POLKON-training or from similar events that have taken place earlier in duty. These underlying skills is the base for resolving the situation accordance with the laws and regulations that the police have to take into account. Eight respondents chose to participate in this qualitative study which consisted of an interview where the conversations were held about the concept of security and how the respondents would solve two situations as they were presented via video. This hermeneutic interpretation of the material can´t give any direct conclusions as the basis of the study is small but an indication that knowledge in MAT, makes the respondents more confident in the situations they were face with during the interviews.