No image available
/ 23 September 2004
This week official crime statistics were revealed that indicate fantastic reductions in a wide range of crimes. Perhaps most impressive was a decline in the number of murders nationally and in most provinces. The police are, understandably, taking a bow. But the police should be credited for the things they can control, not for the increases or decreases in crime.
”Human trafficking” calls to mind images of women and children being abducted, shipped to foreign countries, imprisoned and subjected to continual rape. But international definitions of trafficking are broad. Professional sex workers who voluntarily look for work in other countries but do not find conditions amenable can declare themselves ”trafficked” under most legislation.
Election manifestos: More police doesn’t mean less lawlessness. For many voters, crime is the key issue of this election, and it is not surprising that political parties have given the matter a bit of thought in preparing their election manifestos. Each party makes some excellent points, but at times the rhetoric descends into simply promising more, better and faster.
With the possible exception of murder, South Africa’s rate of crime detection is not egregiously poor, writes Ted Leggett . Lack of confidence in the system creates a vicious cycle, where complainant apathy causes cases to be lost.