Crime Diminishing Essay, Research Paper

The current rate of

crime in our society has reached alarming proportions. new senseless killings of

innocent lives, the harassment of law abiding citizens, and loss of property is

totally not accepted at all levels and walks of our society. The impact of

reported and unreported incidents of crime continue to negate our newly found

democracy with disastrous effects to our economy. Taking into account the nearly

2 million serious crimes reported last year including 18.938 murders and 66838

robberies. The high level of unemployment can no longer be associated or put as

an excuse for high level of crime because of senseless killings which cannot be

linked to poverty and wants. Armed robbery, rape, murder hijacking, theft and

house breaking has dramatically increased since1992, this has damaged the fabric

of our society. The government [Police, defense force] has tried its level best

to combat crime, individual citizens, sectors of the society business community,

both electronic and print media has contributed enormously towards the

solutions, however the criminals at this point in time think that they are a

step ahead of all this efforts. Investor confidence has reached low levels which

adversely affects employment opportunities, inflation, money markets and economic growth

which ultimately affects the whole populace and the image of this new democratic order.

SANCO as a community mass based Organization, has a responsibility and role to contribute to

fight this epidemic. 1.1 SANCO The Organization is a National unitary structure

composed of 9 Provincial structures. Below the provinces the are regions,

sub-regions, local branches and street communities. This structures exists and

function in almost all the townships, inner cities and rural areas. SANCO has

more than 3000 launched local civics with millions of resident members. It is

our honest view in this matter that the Organization with its structure, and

formation is best located to successfully launch an anti-crime campaign which

can make an impact in finding solutions against crime. In the black townships

crime has been rampant and not properly checked and controlled, because of

inadequate and inefficient methods applied, the socio- economic and political

factors, the manner in which police are perceived taking into account their past

activities and focus. This factors has resulted to criminals having a safe haven

in townships. 2. ANTI CRIME CAMPAIGN In order to effectively have a successful

campaign SANCO has identified the following points which are seen as departure

points. – Communities to proudly own and understand the campaign prior to its

launch. [community driven]. – The negative consequences of crime must be

highlighted which results to Unemployment, Poverty, loss of life, loss of

property, harassment and unsafe environment. – To correct the wrong perceptions

that all -price are involved in criminal activities. – ‘Me responsibility of

each individual citizen to be part of a solution against crime. 2.1. In order to

maximize community participation and understanding the campaign itself, it is

important to develop a very simple and easy to understand program. It is a

deeply entrenched custom with a very known history that an informer"impimpi"]

is killed and not accepted within black communities. In order to deal with wrong

perceptions about police and the perception that crime is directed to whites is justifiable,

this anti-crime campaign will be known as " "for a simple reason that

[ Siyapimpa we "inform" for a good cause] Crime is against freedom,

democracy and RDP. 2.2. The campaign is as follows (a) Every person who witness

or have information about a crime committed/or to be committed… will phone the

central toll free number report the crime, evidence or incident. Listant minimal

reward have to be paid after an arrest ismade. 2.1. Every reported crime the

caller will have to leave [ optional for rewards] his/hercontact details. 2.3.

If an arrest is made a minimal reward have to be paid as incentive to the

individualconcerned. 1. A central data and reporting centre must be established.

The centre must beindependently operative and directly linked with the police

station and intelligence unitto supply information. LAUNCH AND STRATEGY The

campaign must be launched in starting with the most affected areas. The overall

objective is to launch it as a National campaign. Before the launch, it must be

accepted and understood by communities through process of mass meetings, street

committees, police forums, organized labor church formations, etc. – In order to

focus our campaign the listing of types of crime to be prioritized eg. murder,

armed robbery, rape, hijacking etc. 2. An anti-crime summit must be organized to

include all organs of civil society for adoption and to be preceded by a launch

-ftia@rch or rally. Communities must be concretized through popular education

about thenegative effects of crimes. 3. User friendly pamphlets and posters can

be effective. The public must also be ensured about the confidentiality of

reporting to the Data and Reporting Centre. – Both print and electronic media

must be utilized to publicize the campaign. Bill boardsand wall murrials must

feature prominently for advertisement purposes. Schools and churches, stok-vels

and sports events must be targeted to spread andsustain the programme.

Consultation Process Tle programme must be adopted by the NEC. A meeting with

the ministry of Safety and Security – Rewards and Data and reporting centre).

Business community for funding especially NEDCOR. CONCLUSLOA Our approach to the

campaign is informed by Fundamental objective conditions that prevail throughout

the country and perceptions emerging from various institutions and organizations

the subject of crime. The current wave of crime must be properly located within

an informed political context. During the apartheid era the level of crime and

instability was no different. The media focused its attention on political

upheavals and created a wrong impression that crime was either non-existence or

low. The police force or some of its elements are not committed to eradicating

crime. Community Policing Forums are marginalized and rendered ineffective

deliberately. Some key players in the private sector who are naturally

unpatriotic especially to the present government are calling for radical steps

to end crime as a precondition to further investments. A call to the private

sector never made end political repression and violence in some provinces during

the apartheid era. Blacks are identified as major perpetrators of crime though

narrow identification of certain incidence of crime which are conveniently

ascribed to be committed by the black youth. ‘Misapproach undermines white

collar crime and those who supervise black youth to hijack cars, sell drugs. A

deliberate plan by the intelligence not to crack down on these syndicates in the

same way as UDF activities and ANC cadres in exile were traced. Whilst we

acknowledge that the current government program is inadequate including both the

justice system and correctional services., We are convinced that all the

contemporary critiques have a hidden agenda to render country unstable. 0 Based

on these factors and many more we cannot support the re-introduction of the

death penalty. The death penalty will not resolve crime. Perpetrators of crime

are well organized and wealthy formations who will not be affected by the death

penalty. The majority of victimsto the death penalty will be young black people

who are pawns and a tip of an iceberg to thereal cause crime. For these reasons

our campaign as SANCO focuses on complimenting the initiatives of all those with

genuine intentions in particular the government. We must all pull our efforts

together with genuine objectives to reed this country of all facets of crime.