About Crime

Crime is a very complex problem and solutions are extremely difficult to find. However, to find solutions the starting point would be to try to understand crime. Below is an adaptation of a model drafted by The National Crime Prevention Centre in their publication Making South Africa Safe. This is a simple way to look at crime at a glance, the crime triangle.

 

As you will see there are three elements to a crime - the offender, the victim and the environment.

The offender is extremely difficult to understand. The only known characteristic about the offender is that s/he has a motive. If one looks at the crime statistics and media reports, it becomes clear that most people in South Africa are very highly motivated. So it can safely be presumed that most people are potential offenders. In South Africa, one should trust nobody. Everybody is in for the highest reward with the least effort. Even professionals like doctors, lawyers, teachers and accountants have been caught committing crimes. Sadly, even law enforcement officers have been caught and convicted for breaking the law. Who’s more scum - a penniless lady who shoplifted a loaf of bread or a rich doctor who defrauded your medical aid?

When it comes to the victim, here again, every one of us is a potential victim. We cannot take things for granted. No matter what precautions you take, you can still be violated. Crime knows no such thing as race, gender, status, qualifications and wealth. However, the wealthy, the aged, the frail, the disabled, women and children are particularly vulnerable. It is a well known fact that even homes with high walls, burglar alarms and electric fencing have been burgled. We have devoted a whole chapter of information on how to avoid becoming a victim.

The environment is made up of many parts, but just a few are related to crime. We as individuals cannot do much about socio-economic problems like poverty and unemployment. These is a major contributor to crime. However, in the environment exists opportunities to commit crime. This is where we can do something - close the opportunities. For example, if you leave a wallet full of money lying around a busy place, don’t expect it to be there when you need it. In communities where drugging is rife, you will find anything of value getting stolen by the addicts. The point here can be likened to a place where germs are breeding. If that is the case, we need to apply a germicide.

At the centre of the crime triangle is SAPS. They need to serve the victims and potential victims. They need to apprehend the perpetrators. They need to close all the gaps in the environment which breed criminals.

As you will notice, the community can do much to help the police. If we can reduce crimes like thefts and burglaries, if we can point out the drug dealers and addicts in the areas, then the police can have more time to focus on armed robberies and hijackings and other heinous crimes.

Eventually, we drive out the vermin from our areas.