This article propagates a theoretical basis for performing comparative studies in policing. Researchers, carryingout comparative studies should be familiar with the fundamental constructs that underpins policing philosophy, strategyand operations. The fundamental constructs, namely political philosophy, culture and religion, and law underpins policingphilosophy and style while the contextual constructs, crime, economy and demography, are influenced by these fundamentalsand also, as a result of their reciprocal influence amongst themselves, inform policing strategy and operations. Policing agenciesfluctuate on a dichotomy of open and closed systems and the goal achievement system responds to all these influences and betweencentralised and decentralised policing. This article focuses on some of the theoretical and practical issues in performing comparativestudies within and amongst police agencies. Comparisons need to be clearly demarcated, starting firstly with the topic. Theoryand praxis should speak to one another and form the foundation of comparative studies in policing. Without a thoroughunderstanding of the constructs, comparative studies may lack depth and quality. Researchers, undertaking comparative studiesshould be familiar with the fundamental constructs that underpin policing philosophy, strategy and operations. Furthermorethe contextual constructs, influenced both by the fundamental ones and also as a result of their reciprocal influence amongstthemselves, also lead to policing strategy and operations. Understanding the reciprocity amongst the different constructs is essentialfor critical analyses as the basis for comparative studies.
The philosophical premises should be the constructs and ideas from which grand theoretical perspectives can be deduced. As Himes and Schulenberg (2013:1) put it, “Philosophy and theory are perpetually linked; philosophy influences how one sees the world, theory shapes how one intentionally interacts with that world”. Let us just for a moment doubt science and challenge its dogma. What if science is not able to measure a dimension of life and then ignores it and teaches people to make this a private dimension and not to insist that this dimension also asserts itself in the public domain. What if people intuitively know that there is a spiritual world but are bombarded by scientific dogma to ignore it? Explanations on the origin of life, spiritual possession and death after life cannot be explained from a positivistic methodological view point simply because scientists have not been able to develop measuring instruments for these phenomena. To ignore sacred things and experiences and to be informed that you are “hallucinating” may be a cause for anxiety and, depression. Scientists are not comfortable when confronted by mysticism, metaphysical tendencies and religion. Despite the stance of scientists not to engage in matters that cannot be scientifically measured, millions of lives around the globe are affected by “super-natural phenomena.” The article looks at the spiritual world from a biblical perspective in order to demonstrate that Satanism and occult practices are the inverse of Christianity. The objective is to establish a cross-disciplinary approach to find answers to some crimes that seems to be motivated by spiritual possession and mystic beliefs.
Muchipisi Village is situated in the deep rural area of the South African Low Veld near Giyani. The study of partnership policing in this rural area has been performed by interviewing three core stakeholders, namely a focus group from the community, members of the Community Policing Forum and police officers deployed in the area. The methodological approach of using a narrative cross-correlation was used to test the reliability of respondents’ reactions to interview questions. The research, for a Magister Artium degree in Criminal Justice was conducted to see if there indeed exists a partnership between the police and the community and therefore issues such as regular meetings, feedback, information supplied to the community on crime and community members giving information about perpetrators and planned crime to the police were taken as indicators of an existing partnership. The findings are presented in tabular form, representing the responses of all three groups and then these are cross-correlated and deductions made to answer the research objectives.
South Africa has undergone significant political change since the first democratic election in 1994. Like Eastern Europe after democratization, there has been an increase in crime following democracy. The initial government reaction was to deny that the problem was getting out of hand. Continued public pressure brought about a change in government’s stance on crime. While the crime debate was going on a political battle within the ruling African National Congress was raging that led to the ousting of President Mbeki and the final outcome was victory for Dr Jacob Zuma. The change in presidency also brought a tougher attitude against crime. The police department known as the Department of Safety and Security was changed to the Department of Police. Very tough statements were made by politicians such as referring to criminals as “bastards’ and “shoot the bastards.” This article argues that police officers of particular upbringing may misinterpret these statements and end up in abusing human rights. The article argues for a new theoretical theory called “Reciprocal Moral Dualism” which suggests that society prepares police officers for internalised control and respect for human rights or the opposite. The fact of the matter is that what society provides in moral fibre, must be evidenced by good cop behaviour and the police must not desocialise and resocialise the new recruits with conflicting morality. The paradox is obvious. If poorly socialised individuals join the police, the chances are high that they will spread their inapt behaviour and corrupt others.
The article presents modern approach to the concept of community policing, taking into account the need to meet the diverse needs of communities in theoretically homogeneous societies. The author presents situation of Poland in the context of political and economic changes, including a historical perspective, focusing on the factors which condition the diversity of needs resulting in the modern community policing concept. In the paper, the author compares the levels of crime in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, following their transformation process, and also indicates significant similarities in the policies of crime prevention and control. In addition, a pertinent analysis of the reasons for the increase in crime in these countries is presented, as well as important guidelines for police executives on the use of proactive and reactive strategies in the context of differences in theoretically homogeneous societies. Based on the business and system model, the correct approach to these issues is presented, characterized by a novel recognition in the area of market segmentation characteristics for product strategy. The article indicates that the identification of segments in society and their needs fulfilment should be based on policing practices moderated by scientific reasoning. The proposed trends apply both to the officers and the entire police organization, while the changes require that the role of police in society be determined as perceived by the police themselves and the public. In the context of the suggested model, the guidelines of legal, human and scientific nature are presented.
One of the prominent advantages of the new dispensation in South Africa is the increase in research undertaken in rural and deep rural communities. The article presents results of the research in one of rural provinces — Venda. The substance abuse patterns in two selected secondary schools were compared as well as the influence it had on delinquent behaviour. The study is a self-report survey with 120 participants of both genders in grade 11 and 12. The questionnaire that was used comprised multiple choice questions such as the types of substances and also Likert scale type questions. The data was analysed by using the Statistical Package for The Social Sciences. Being the first ever research of this nature conducted at the selected schools, the study is exploratory in nature but nonetheless is also at the applicative levels as it attempts to arrive at knowledge that will assist in controlling substance abuse at the schools in the area. The school as an instrument of development and socialization should play an enormously important role in preparing the youth for their future and how that is used to the benefit of society at large. At the same time it is commonly known the abuse of substances in all types and levels of schools is increasing tremendously amongst learners in South Africa.
The article comes at a time when farm attacks are once again under the spotlight following the spate of murders that occurred lately. The farming community in South Africa, for about three decades, formed part of a rural safety plan through the commando system. This system was phased out though the threat to life and limb on the farms has continued unabated.The article takes a look at the development of the commando system and its characteristics of area, and house and hearth protection and how this system became entrenched in the farming communities over hundreds of years. After the closure of the commandos, farming communities increasingly developed a self-protection system for house and hearth protection to fill the void left by the commandos. Due to the life and death nature of attacks, and the fact that they involve high levels of violence, the perception that government and the police are not really serious about stopping the attacks has taken a firm hold. In Limpopo, this perception was further entrenched, by the former Provincial Police Commissioner who did not want to meet with the farmers. This has led to very negative perceptions of the police amongst farmers and an increasing tendency towards developing and improving their own structures for safety and security. Naturally they reverted to a system that has served farmers for almost 300 years, the commando system. The article gives an account of how the self protection structures in the Soutpansberg are modeled on the commando system.
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