A Systematic Study on the Evolutions of Community Policing Forums: A Supplementary Tool to Crime Prevention in South Africa

Abstract

Crime is explained as an activity that is among the most difficult of the many challenges facing the South African Criminal Justice System (CJS) in the post-apartheid era. This study offer systematic review on the evolutions of Community Policing Forums (CPFs), as a supplementary tool of crime prevention, while adopting the qualitative research approach, supported by the non-empirical research design: Systematic review, focusing on available reports on this subject, confined to South Africa, and other Two (02) international countries, namely: Namibia and Tanzania, both used as case studies, demarcated from 1994-2021 (Not in sequence). The descriptive and interpretative Textual Content Analysis (TCA) were employed for data analysis to offer supports to the presented discussions. This study found that the existing South African policies, regulations and legislative frameworks, are in place to assist in dealing with the establishment and implementation of ‘community policing and CPFs’ as philosophies to promote collaborations and effective relationships between the local South African Police Service (SAPS) and community members. This is done as a supplement for crime prevention initiatives as supported by the United Nations (UN) and adhere to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa objectives, under Section 205(3). Negatively, the idea of enhancing community safety through interaction between SAPS and CPFs to accomplish crime prevention is currently regarded legitimate mechanism that is not applicable in South Africa only, but to other countries, such as Namibia and Tanzania in this regard. For recommendations, in South Africa, the evolution of CPFs in collaboration with the local SAPS to achieve crime prevention can play pivotal roles in fighting various crimes and also act as deterrent to crimes causation within South African communities, thus, the establishment and implementations should be based on the confinement of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 and SAPS Act (No. 68 of 1995) requirements, as noticed in countries, such as Namibia and Tanzania policing systems.