Occasional Paper

South Africa : Crime in Transition

“The document provides a detailed analysis of the reason for the growth of crime in the
country – seen (correctly) as a complex intermeshing of a diversity of factors – and outlines steps under way in various government departments to counter crime. Outside of the repair of the criminal justice process, three key issues –environmental design, education and
transnational crime – are identified as being critical areas for intervention to reduce crime. In addition, the strategy lays down eighteen nationally driven programmes to be implemented. These are diverse, ranging from improving information systems (poor information transfer is at the heart of the system’s problems), victim empowerment and support, and mechanisms to
counter organised crime.”