High Crime Rates in South Africa

High Crime Rates in South Africa

Introduction

Crime levels in South Africa during the racial segregation era was remarkably high. According to Breetzke, crimes occurred after every fifteen seconds. High crime rates were also associated with high percentage levels of violence, as it was indicated by the number of reported cases of murder. In addition to murder, rape and assaults were components of crimes committed in South Africa. This Essay depicts the reasons which led to high crime rates in South Africa.

Social disorganization

Social disorganization is the incapability of a particular society to realize its residents’ mutual worth and maintenance of social controls. Social Anarchy was aimed at maintaining class exploitation and preventing unified resistance from the black population (Breetzke, 2010). The disorganization was done through the improvising of policies, which included the migrant labor system. The migrant labor system deprived the blacks the right to access urban centres’ employment, and this availed cheap labor to whites. This policy led to the disruption of black people’s family life and poverty. Group Areas act evicted the black people from the white urban areas. Group act was aimed at weakening the linkage between the African people. As a result of this, residents overcrowded and social capital was destructed. The Bantu education act led to the exclusion of subjects from the African curriculum. All these acts left black youths idle and marginalized and exposed them to crimes and violence within their segregated societies.

Social, economic deprivation

High rates of unemployment triggered by strict group area act and migrant labor system led to an increased number of unlawful acts. These acts denied the “blacks” access to job opportunities in urban centres, and overcrowding in the rural area increased the number of offences. Additionally, the policies reinforced by the whites were to ensure the security of whites in the urban centres and not to discipline the criminals, and this further increased the levels of offences among these blacks who saw that no measures taken against them.

Conclusion

In conclusion, high levels of unlawful acts in South Africa during the racial segregation era was mostly contributed by social disorganization. The disorganization of black people in South Africa through the migrant labor act and group areas act led to overcrowding of idle black youths in rural areas, which in turn led to increased crime rates. Additionally, social, economic deprivation, and deprivation of employment increased the rates of crime rates.

 Reference

Breetzke, G. D. (2010). Modelling violent crime rates: A test of social disorganization in the city of Tshwane, South Africa. Journal of Criminal Justice, 38(4), 446-452.