Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 199-206).

Denna kandidatuppsats har syftat till att studera språket i artiklar skrivna av etablerade nyhetstidningar som beskriver och skildrar ungdomar i kriminalitet. Artiklarna har granskats på ett sådant sätt att de illustrerar sambandet mellan formuleringar och hur det bidrar till den sociala konstruktionen av ungdomar i brottslighet. Uppsatsens syfte har också varit att undersöka och behandla hur mediala tidningar intar en maktposition över individer i eller relaterat till kriminell verksamhet. Datan består av 13 artiklar från två framstående tidningar under två tidsperioder, 2000-2002 och 2020-2021. Utifrån en kvalitativ ansats användes den kritiska diskursanalysen för att skapa ett ramverk för att dissekera artiklarnas struktur och deras ord. Vidare undersöktes och filtrerades strukturen genom en socialkonstruktivistisk lins och maktteorier. Resultatet kan sammanfattas beskriva hur mediala parter bidrar till den sociala konstruktionen av ungdomar i brottslighet genom att formulera meningar på ett visst sätt och genom att använda specifika ordsatser. Resultatet visade också att artiklarna skilde sig åt när det gäller ansvarsfrågan. Avhandlingen illustrerar en maktdiskrepans mellan parterna där den ena parten har mandat att avbilda den andra och därigenom påverka den sociala konstruktionen. / This bachelor thesis has aimed to study the language in articles written by the media describing and relating youth in crime. The articles were examined in such a way to illustrate the connection between the wording and how that contributes to the social construction of youth in crime. The thesis also aimed to investigate and address how medial newspapers occupy a position of power over individuals in or relating to criminal activity. The data consists of 13 articles from two prominent newspapers over two time periods, 2000-2002 and 2020-2021. Based on a qualitative approach, the critical discourse analysis was used to establish a framework to dissect the structure of the articles and their words. Furthermore, the structure was examined and filtered through a social constructivist lens and power theories. The results can be summarized to show that medial parties are able to contribute to the social construction of youth in crime by formulating sentences in a certain manner and by using specific sets of words. The result also showed that the articles differed in terms of placing responsibility. The thesis illustrates a power discrepancy between the parties where one party mandates the depiction of the other and through that affects the social construction.

The aim of this study is to assess the implementation of the Youth Crime Prevention Desk (YCPD) programme in the Ekurhuleni North Cluster in Gauteng. Since the Social Crime Prevention Strategy was introduced in the South African Police Service (SAPS), no study has been conducted in the organisation to assess whether this strategy has yielded the expected results in line with its objectives. Data was collected by means of in-depth interviews as well as focus group interviews with Community Policing Forum (CPF) members, YCPD programme community volunteers, SAPS social crime prevention coordinators, Department of Community Safety (DoCS) social crime prevention coordinators and a station commander in the Ekurhuleni North Cluster. These participants are closely involved with the YCPD programme and freely expressed their views, understanding, knowledge and beliefs in relation to the implementation and associated activities of the YCPD programme. In addition, the researcher conducted a comprehensive literature study of the national legislation, SAPS policies and directives that oversee and promote social crime prevention in South Africa, as well as library resources and international studies. Various objectives were fulfilled in the execution of this study:  It was determined that social crime prevention guidelines are not complied with regarding the implementation of the YCPD.  It was determined that the YCPD is not achieving its proposed aims and objectives. In addition, this study and its results provide a framework for mitigating the challenges encountered during the implementation of strategies for improving the establishment of the YCPD in the Ekurhuleni North Cluster. The findings of the research indicate that the YCPD programme has not been effectively implemented within the Ekurhuleni North Cluster, since it became evident that the YCPD role-players are confronted by various challenges, which impede the proper implementation of the programme. Based on the findings of this study, a Youth Crime Prevention Desk Implementation Framework was developed. This framework could serve as a guideline advising the South African Police Service, Department of Community Safety, Community Policing Forums and Youth Crime Prevention Desk programme’s community volunteers in the Ekurhuleni North Cluster how the implementation of the programme could be improved. This framework could also contribute towards further identifying best practices with a view to benchmarking such a framework in other areas in South Africa. This study makes a significant contribution to the improvement of the implementation of the Youth Crime Prevention Desk programme in the Ekurhuleni North Cluster and to youth social crime and violence in general. / Police Practice / D. Litt. et Phil. (Police Science)