PURPOSE
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Community Safety and Liaison has a Social Crime Prevention and Research Directorate within the Community Liaison Chief Directorate which seeks to understand the causal factors of criminal activities and the effectiveness of current ways of addressing crime.
Social Crime prevention is an approach to crime prevention that addresses the root causes of crime. The focus is mainly on the social elements that lead to crime such as lack of community cohesion, ignorance, breakdown in family societal values and poor environmental conditions.
HOW CAN SOCIAL CRIME PREVENTION BE ACHIEVED?
In order to prevent social crimes there needs to be an understanding of societal problems that prevail in the community. What is also needed is an evaluation of present initiatives aimed at preventing social crime and recommendations to prevent future incidences. Social Crime Prevention can also be achieved by changing values through public education and through allowing communities to be agents of social change in their own communities. Communities are encouraged to engage themselves in social crime prevention initiatives and in moral regeneration efforts.
FUNCTIONS
The Social Crime Prevention Directorate implements the following activities:
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Initiates and Execute Social Crime Prevention programmes such as the training of traditional leadership in social crime prevention and human rights, school safety, rural safety, integration of safety plans into local government, drug awareness campaigns and youth crime prevention training.
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Identify focal groups that can assist in social crime prevention, who are involved as victims/perpetrators.
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Develop, consolidate, prioritise and align Social Crime Prevention initiatives and activities with National priorities and strategies.
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Raise awareness of HIV/AIDS as a crime generating factor.
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Undertake research on crime including generating effects of HIV/AIDS and Social fabric crime.
SOCIAL CRIME PREVENTION AND RESEARCH DIRECTORATE TEAM
Mrs Nomathamsanqa Masondo
Senior Manager
Cell: 082 194 565
Office: 033 341 9313
E-mail: nomathamsanqa.masondo@comsafety.gov.za
Mrs Nonhlanhla Gumede
Nonhlanhla GumedeSecterary to Manager
Office: 033 341 9300
E-mail: nonhlanhla.gumede@comsafety.gov.za
Mr Robert Chetty
Social Crime Analyst
Office: 033 341 9341
E-mail: robert.chetty@comsafety.gov.za
Ms Dorah Sibande
Social Crime Facilitator
Office: 033 341 9341
E-mail: dorah.sibande@comsafety.gov.za
Mr Kwenza Mtshali
Social Crime Facilitator
Office: 033 341 9300
E-mail: kwenza.mtshali@comsafety.gov.za
Mr Sbu Gumede
Admin Officer
Office. 033 3419300
E-mail: sbu.gumede@comsafety.gov.za