Behind the Mask: Getting to Grips with Crime and Violence in South Africa

To come to terms with crime and violence in South Africa, we must get behind the mask not only of the criminal, but also of society itself. We have to understand the hidden social processes that give rise to crime and violence.
To come to terms with crime and violence in South Africa, the contributors to this volume suggest that we must go beyond the masks of both the criminal and society itself - the hidden social processes that give rise to crime and violence. They indicate that crime is imbedded in the social structure, in the integration of families and communities, in the breakdown of authority and trust, and in inequalities that breed hostility and disempowerment. These are linked to recent developments in the field of social capital, and to links between violence, economic inequality and the breakdown of social cohesion.
This book presents a number of strategic case studies of crime and injury prevention projects in South Africa, including community responses to crime. From these, and recent local and international research findings, a range of strategic principles relating to crime and violence prevention are drawn, and a model developed to design integrated crime and injury prevention strategies in South Africa.