Expectations and Encounters: Comparing Perceptions of Police Services Among the Underprivileged in South Africa and Zimbabwe

Mutongwizo, Tariro

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-65021-0_28

Cited by 3 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…However, it may be that this lack of a relationship between trust and reporting is due in part to differences in conceptualizations of state services, particularly in a high crime context. Police in Global North societies are expected to fulfill Weberian ideals of protection and service; yet corruption, lack of training and resources, and mistreatment by the police themselves moderate citizen expectations in the Global South (Mutongwizo, 2018). Conceptualizations of the state, its services, and the providers of those services in Global South contexts were developed in social, political and economic contexts that falsely promise and unequally guarantee the rule of law (Iturralde, 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Understanding the factors that lead individuals to turn to the state is a crucial step in reducing violence and impunity. Citizens in Global South countries may seek extralegal solutions to problems of violence and crime-particularly when the police or justice system fail to provide effective remedies (Mutongwizo, 2018;Nivette, 2016;Zizumbo-Colunga, 2017). It is paramount that we understand citizen behavior in contexts in which violence and crime is the norm-rather than the exception-in order to develop policies and strategies to mitigate their negative effects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Does context matter? Examining robbery reporting in a high crime country

Hernández

Heimark

2021

Criminology & Criminal Justice

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Most empirical studies that examine why individuals report property crimes to the police have focused on Global North countries where crime rates are low. This study is situated in the most violent area of the world, Latin America, and examines Peru, which has the highest robbery victimization rate in the Americas. This article examines the applicability of theories of crime reporting in this Global South context using a large sample and multilevel modeling. We find that trust in the police has no impact on the reporting of the robbery of one’s cellphone, purse or wallet. The theories of rational choice and Black’s stratification of law provide strong explanations for the reporting of robbery of these personal items. Individuals of higher social status and those who reside in districts with low levels of social disadvantage are more likely to report, as well as those who have experienced violent victimization.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does context matter? Examining robbery reporting in a high crime country

Hernández

Heimark

2021

Criminology & Criminal Justice

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“…The formal policing apparatus, embodied by the South African Police Service (SAPS), operates within the legal confines set forth by section 205(1-3) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. Concurrently, informal policing mechanisms and strategic calculations, such as vigilante groups or community-led initiatives, operate outside the established legal framework, a phenomenon often referred to as indigenous policing, prevalent both historically and in contemporary contexts (Haefele, 2015;Mutongwizo & Mutongwizo, 2023;Buur, 2008). The swift evolution of social conditions, norms, and values has led to colonially-oriented "reassessment of indigenous policing" methods.…”

Section: Criminal Justice System Problem Statementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Revisiting Philosophical Dichotomies in South Africa's Post-Colonial Policing Foundational Structures: A Retrospective Analysis

Motsepe

2024

IJSSRR

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This article examines the historical and medieval policing paradigms in South Africa, focusing on the integration of diverse policing styles worldwide, including indigenous precolonial African policing systems. Irrespective of efforts to modernize policing, remnants of Eurocentric and Americentric approaches persist, rooted in colonial and apartheid legacies. Through qualitative document analysis, it's evident that within contemporary policing in South Africa, there are similarities influenced by historical practices driven by colonisation, racism, and oppressive ideologies that excluded the indigenous majority. To a certain extent, these influences impede effective crime resolution. The article advocates for a paradigm shift towards blending a resource-based policing model and African pre-historic policing systems (syncretic), diverging from the prevailing business-centric approach. This model emphasizes continuous adaptation to crime trends, situational responses, and community dynamics, incorporating multidimensional factors such as historical context, social policies, and cultural influences. Embracing this model offers South Africa a more inclusive and effective approach to hybridised policing tailored to its unique challenges and persistent aspirations.

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“…These institutions have provided much authority and run parallel to and, in some instances, in conjunction with the state (Matyszak, 2010). Existing police services in Zimbabwe are considered unavailable and unsatisfactory in urban areas (Mutongwizo, 2018), and the conditions are even more dire in rural Zimbabwe, where it has been noted that the police are unable to respond quickly to urgent cases including murder, rape, and stock theft (Simpson & Krönke, 2019). This is mainly due to staff and vehicle shortages (Chigonda & Chazireni, 2018).…”

Section: Mutongwizo -Challenges Of Policing Rural Zimbabwementioning

confidence: 99%

“…These views of the police show a profound lack of trust in the police in Zimbabwe and this is mainly due to police practices seen in the colonial era that continue to be entrenched in present-day policing (Chigonda & Chazireni, 2018;Mutongwizo, 2018). The inaccessibility of police services exacerbates the situation.…”

Section: Existing Studies On Crime and Security In Rural Zimbabwementioning

confidence: 99%

A Snapshot into Challenges of Policing Rural Zimbabwe

Mutongwizo

2022

IJRC

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Policing and security in remote and rural areas are under-resourced and under-researched. The situation is amplified in developing nations such as Zimbabwe, where the most immediate form of local governance for rural dwellers is that of traditional, customary and informal institutions. This research note aims to further discuss policing rural areas in places like Zimbabwe, where patriarchal state structures are entangled with policing. The research note will rely on examples of the key challenges experienced in rural Zimbabwe and engage in a theoretical discussion that paints a picture of policing of the rural developing world. Discussions will centre around how the lack of access to police is exacerbated by distance and the nature of policing, which further excludes individuals based on political affiliation, gender, and poverty. Taking all this into consideration, police-community relations and engagement in rural Zimbabwe will be examined with the aim that the discussion leads to further research on how policing rural communities can better consider the security needs, vulnerabilities, and potential of these communities.

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Expectations and Encounters: Comparing Perceptions of Police Services Among the Underprivileged in South Africa and Zimbabwe

Cited by 3 publications

References 19 publications

Does context matter? Examining robbery reporting in a high crime country

Does context matter? Examining robbery reporting in a high crime country

Revisiting Philosophical Dichotomies in South Africa's Post-Colonial Policing Foundational Structures: A Retrospective Analysis

A Snapshot into Challenges of Policing Rural Zimbabwe

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