Current statistics show an alarming number of children entering the South African children’s court system annually. Yet little to no research has been conducted involving children who actually attend children’s court within the South African context, specifically since the promulgation of the new Children’s Act 38 of 2005. Consequently, very little knowledge regarding these children’s experiences and where the court system may be failing them exists. Statutory intervention with children in the middle-childhood phase is based on the premise that such intervention is in the best interest of the child. The process begins with the assignment of a social worker who is tasked with conducting a comprehensive investigation into the child’s life. Once this investigation has been finalised, the child and all relevant parties will attend children’s court where a final decision will be made regarding the child’s future care. The question arises how children experience children’s court procedures and whether there are areas where improvement would be warranted, especially since heavy caseloads often result in postponements which could exacerbate any negative experiences. With a view to gaining insight into middle-childhood children’s experience of children’s court procedures, the researcher conducted a qualitative, applied study using a collective case study design. Two literature studies form the knowledge base of the study, where the first explores the various areas of development in middle childhood and the second the children’s court process, with specific reference to the relevant legislation and polices underlying this process. In-depth interviews with nine children in the middle-childhood phase who had been exposed to children’s court procedures allowed the researcher to gather data from the children’s perspectives, rather than from the perspective of professionals as is the case in the majority of other studies. This empirical study contributed to the knowledge base by providing evidence that children are not by any means adequately prepared for children’s court and do not meaningfully participate in the process. Furthermore, empirical evidence revealed that children in middle childhood often associate negative emotions – notably fear, sadness and anger – with children’s court procedures. From this empirical study, it was concluded that social workers need to take responsibility for ensuring that children are comprehensively prepared for court procedures. Furthermore, steps need to be taken to enhance children’s level of participation throughout the entire process. / Dissertation (MSW)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / lmchunu2014 / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

An employee is usually entitled to representation in a disciplinary hearing. The question arises whether this representation includes legal representation or whether it is limited to representation by union representatives or a fellow employee? An employee's right to legal representation will in most cases be determined by a collective agreement, the employment contract or a disciplinary code. Over the years the Courts have indicated that they are not prepared to grant an absolute right to legal representation in disciplinary enquiries. Yet in some cases the courts found legal representation to be a sine qua non for a fair hearing and an intrinsic part of natural justice. It seems that the conclusion that can be drawn from this research is that legal representation might soon become a requirement for a fair disciplinary hearing in serious and complex matters. This research looks at numerous decisions both in die public and private sector before and after 1994. The right to legal representation is also discussed in the light of a fair hearing. The various advantages and disadvantages of legal representation are briefly examined. It is argued that all employees should be granted legal representation in complex and serious matters where the employee is likely to be dismissed. It is thus said that all presiding officers should be granted a discretion to allow legal representation in serious and complex matters. / Thesis (LL.M. (Labour Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

I have chosen the topic "Criminal Trial", because I am interested in criminal law and during my studies I completed an internship at court, which gave me the opportunity to experience criminal trial in practice. The aim of my thesis is to provide a comprehensive view of criminal trial as the most important part of criminal proceedings with its actual issues. The thesis begins with an introduction and ends on a conclusion. Between that, the thesis is divided into three main chapters. The first chapter is called the general characteristics of criminal trial and deals with the Czech legislation governing criminal trial, purpose and meaning of criminal trial and describes the basic principles of criminal proceedings, especially those most used in criminal trial. The second chapter focuses on the preparation of criminal trial, which is very important. Only a precise preparation can lead to a fluent criminal trial without any adjournment, as law requests. This chapter also discusses presence of the public and media at the court. The chapter tries to answer the question whether it is appropriate if the presiding judge permits making video and audio broadcast from the hearing. The third chapter analyses the course of the criminal trial, especially its beginning, rights and obligations of parties in the...

An employee is usually entitled to representation in a disciplinary hearing. The question arises whether this representation includes legal representation or whether it is limited to representation by union representatives or a fellow employee? An employee's right to legal representation will in most cases be determined by a collective agreement, the employment contract or a disciplinary code. Over the years the Courts have indicated that they are not prepared to grant an absolute right to legal representation in disciplinary enquiries. Yet in some cases the courts found legal representation to be a sine qua non for a fair hearing and an intrinsic part of natural justice. It seems that the conclusion that can be drawn from this research is that legal representation might soon become a requirement for a fair disciplinary hearing in serious and complex matters. This research looks at numerous decisions both in die public and private sector before and after 1994. The right to legal representation is also discussed in the light of a fair hearing. The various advantages and disadvantages of legal representation are briefly examined. It is argued that all employees should be granted legal representation in complex and serious matters where the employee is likely to be dismissed. It is thus said that all presiding officers should be granted a discretion to allow legal representation in serious and complex matters. / Thesis (LL.M. (Labour Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Le but de cette recherche est double: a) essayer de soustraire le schisme de l’Église arménienne de la fin du VIe siècle (591) à une vision uniquement ‘arménienne’, c’est-à-dire périphérique et isolée par rapport aux affaires contemporains de l’Empire Romain; b) identifier les orientations et l’évolution de la politique ecclésiastique de Maurice (582-602), qui - comme montre le cas, à notre avis paradigmatique, de l’Arménie - a pris soin de l’organisation administrative et de la définition théologique de l’Église impériale, tout en assurant, d’une manière plus générale, la défense et la gestion des territoires de l’Empire. On a donc d’abord donné un aperçu de la situation de l'Empire Romain à la fin de l’antiquité tardive et souligné comment il a évolué - en particulier après Justinien – à l’intérieur, et par rapport aux peuples extérieurs avec lesquels il avait des relations diplomatiques, militaires ou de commerciales, c’est-à-dire avec les peuples germaniques, les nomades de la steppe, les Arabes et les Ethiopiens, les Chinois; ainsi que les populations caucasiennes, mais surtout le grand rival Sassanide. Puis, on a décrit les grandes lignes de la stratégie romaine le long des frontières: pendant l’antiquité tardive, elle vise, par une sage et habile diplomatie, à attirer dans l’orbite des Romains les gens aux frontières, et à les associer à la cour impériale par l'octroi de titres de grand prestige, comme patricius ou kouropalatēs. Dans ce sens, on a constaté le rôle diplomatique joué, en particulier en Orient, par les commerçants et la haute hiérarchie ecclésiastique. Ensuite, on a décrit les deux événements qui illustrent le mieux la politique ecclésiastique romaine à la fin du VIe siècle et annoncent le schisme arménien: les unions du 572 d’abord et de 591 ensuite entre l’Église Impériale et l’Église (perse-)arménienne. Dans les deux cas on a cherché à mettre en évidence les raisons christologiques (c’est-à-dire de l’orthodoxie de Chalcédoine), mais aussi politiques, militaires, stratégiques et commerciales qui déterminé les choix des Romains et des Arméniens. On a aussi prêté une attention particulière au rôle des Perses, surtout pour l'union de 591. Celle-ci a été créée après les accords entre l’Empire romain et l’État persan, et suivie par l'alliance qui permit à Khosro II, presque ‘fils adoptif’ de l'empereur Maurice, de regagner le trône qui avait été volé par l’usurpateur Bahrām Chubīn. Enfin, on a mis en évidence que cette politique ecclésiastique de Maurice est dictée par des raisons idéologiques. Entre aussi en ligne de compte la nécessité de gérer la difficile unité de l’Empire autour de la Méditerranée , unité qui avait été rétablie seulement sous Justinien. L’expansion considérable des zones frontalières, la crise économique et démographique et les événements de l’empire persan ont rendu cette réalisation difficile, de sorte que, paradoxalement, c’est bien Maurice qui donne à son État, de manière de plus en plus évidente, les traits d’un Empire de moins en moins ‘romain’ et de plus en plus ‘byzantin’.

The transition from the previous Child Care Act 74 of 1983 to the new Children’s Act 38 of 2005 has been chaotic. Since the introduction of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005, and its subsequent implementation in April 2012, there has been instability in rendering child protection services. This state of affairs has been caused by some serious loopholes and shortcomings in the new legislation; challenges faced by social workers in adapting to it; lack of capacity of the stakeholders in the child protection field; and the shortage of resources to implement it. The goal of the study was to explore the challenges faced by social workers working in child protection services in implementing the Children’s Act 38 of 2005. The researcher conducted this study from a qualitative approach. The study was applied and exploratory in nature and utilised a collective case study design. There were 18 social workers in the employ of Johannesburg Child Welfare who participated in the study. They were selected through purposive sampling. Data was collected by means of focus group discussions. The findings show that social workers face institutional and infrastructural barriers in implementing the Children’s Act. Furthermore, social workers face massive human resource challenges in the implementation of the Children’s Act and these stem from the shortage of social workers; inadequate training of social workers and high case loads. Shortcomings that have been realised in the implementation of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 relate to the transfer of children to alternative placements; different interpretations of different sections of the said Act; the fundamental change to a court based system of renewing the placement of children; contradictions of the Children’s Act with other legal statutes and societal values; and the over reliance of the child protection system on the foster care system to provide income support for children. The study concluded that the Children’s Act needs to be amended to address its pre-statutory, statutory and post-statutory shortcomings, which create many challenges in its implementation. The study also concluded that the shortage of social workers and/or inadequate training contributes to high case loads, which in turn, influences the effectiveness of child protection services. Recommendations on addressing the challenges faced by social workers in implementing the Children’s Act include the establishment of a kinship care grant; amending the Children’s Act; organising training for all role players involved in implementing the Children’s Act; and addressing technical issues on the implementation of the Children’s Act. / Dissertation (MSW)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / gm2014 / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

The dissertation deals with the disciplinary process of the South African Police Service - perceptions and preferences of members in the North Rand area of the Gauteng Province. A research question " How members of the SAPS in the North Rand area of the Gauteng Province perceive the disciplinary process" is investigated in this study. The researcher has conducted a quantitative research in the North Rand area of the Gauteng Province using questionnaires and literature study as the research method. The answer to the research question in this study is that members of the SAPS have a negative attitude towards the disciplinary process of the SAPS. There is also uncertainty about the duties of certain role players during the disciplinary process. / Public Administration / M.A. (Public Administration)

Text in Afrikaans / Die penologiese perspektief rakende die ontwikkeling/ doel en funksionering van leke-assessore is die onderwerp van hierdie verhandeling. Leke-deelname in die regsplegingstelsel kan terug­ gevoer word na 1657. Deur die latere oorname van Engelse regsbeginsels1 word die juriestelsel in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg geinkorporeer. Na die afskaffing van die juriestelsel in 1969 berus die beantwoording van sowel feite- as regsvrae slegs by die voorsittende beampte. Hierdie situasie is as onaan­ vaarbaar beskou en grater leke-deelname word bepleit. Dit is egter eers in 1991 dat die aanwending van leke-assessore in die Suid-Afrikaanse regstelsel 'n realiteit word. Een van die voorvereistes vir die aanstel van assessore is dat die aanstelling dienstig vir die regspleging moet wees. Die vraag waarmee penoloe en juriste worstel, is of die aanwending van assessore tans wel bevorderlik vir gesonde regspleging is. Uit empiriese navorsing het dit geblyk nie die geval te wees nie. Derhalwe word 'n opleidingsprogram vir assessore voorgestel / The subject of perspective on tioning of lay justice. this dissertation is a penological the development/ purpose and tunc­ assessors in the administration of The use of lay assessors can be traced back as far as 1657. As a result of the adoption of the British law principles/ the jury system was incorporated in South African law. After the abolition of the jury in 1969/ the answering of factual and judicial questions resides in the presiding officer. This situation was unacceptable and lay participation was advocated. The use of lay assessors became a reality in 1991. The prerequisite for the appointment of an assessor is that it should be expedient for the administration of justice. But are the use of lay assessors beneficial at this stage? From the empirical research it is evident that it is not beneficial at all and therefore the researcher recommends a training programme for lay assessors. / Penology / M.A. (Penologie)

The dissertation deals with the disciplinary process of the South African Police Service - perceptions and preferences of members in the North Rand area of the Gauteng Province. A research question " How members of the SAPS in the North Rand area of the Gauteng Province perceive the disciplinary process" is investigated in this study. The researcher has conducted a quantitative research in the North Rand area of the Gauteng Province using questionnaires and literature study as the research method. The answer to the research question in this study is that members of the SAPS have a negative attitude towards the disciplinary process of the SAPS. There is also uncertainty about the duties of certain role players during the disciplinary process. / Public Administration and Management / M.A. (Public Administration)

Text in Afrikaans / Die penologiese perspektief rakende die ontwikkeling/ doel en funksionering van leke-assessore is die onderwerp van hierdie verhandeling. Leke-deelname in die regsplegingstelsel kan terug­ gevoer word na 1657. Deur die latere oorname van Engelse regsbeginsels1 word die juriestelsel in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg geinkorporeer. Na die afskaffing van die juriestelsel in 1969 berus die beantwoording van sowel feite- as regsvrae slegs by die voorsittende beampte. Hierdie situasie is as onaan­ vaarbaar beskou en grater leke-deelname word bepleit. Dit is egter eers in 1991 dat die aanwending van leke-assessore in die Suid-Afrikaanse regstelsel 'n realiteit word. Een van die voorvereistes vir die aanstel van assessore is dat die aanstelling dienstig vir die regspleging moet wees. Die vraag waarmee penoloe en juriste worstel, is of die aanwending van assessore tans wel bevorderlik vir gesonde regspleging is. Uit empiriese navorsing het dit geblyk nie die geval te wees nie. Derhalwe word 'n opleidingsprogram vir assessore voorgestel / The subject of perspective on tioning of lay justice. this dissertation is a penological the development/ purpose and tunc­ assessors in the administration of The use of lay assessors can be traced back as far as 1657. As a result of the adoption of the British law principles/ the jury system was incorporated in South African law. After the abolition of the jury in 1969/ the answering of factual and judicial questions resides in the presiding officer. This situation was unacceptable and lay participation was advocated. The use of lay assessors became a reality in 1991. The prerequisite for the appointment of an assessor is that it should be expedient for the administration of justice. But are the use of lay assessors beneficial at this stage? From the empirical research it is evident that it is not beneficial at all and therefore the researcher recommends a training programme for lay assessors. / Penology / M.A. (Penologie)