Policing for impact:  Is South Africa ready for Evidence-Based Policing?

Newham, Gareth; Rappert, Brian

doi:10.17159/2413-3108/2018/i64a2998

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…What we have not explored in this case study, and should perhaps be a subject for another analysis, is the extent to which evidence‐informed policy is implemented in South Africa. This is something that has been considered elsewhere, including in Cameroon (Okwen, 2017), and in the UK (Breckon & Gough, 2019), and there is a growing body of relevant literature within South Africa from specific sectors, including health care (McCaul et al, 2020) and policing (Newham & Rappert, 2018), as well as in government performance (Tirivanhu et al, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How evidence, implementation, policy, and politics come together within evidence systems: Lessons from South Africa

Stewart¹

2023

Development Policy Review

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Motivation: Although the field of evidence-informed policy-making has grown significantly in the last 20 years, little is written about how it manifests within government policy, and whether it makes a meaningful difference to development outcomes. This article seeks to fill that gap. Purpose: Through reflection and analysis of shifts in the wider evidence ecosystem, and developments in South Africa specifically, the article describes how in South Africa the political and policy spheres come together with changes in production and use of evidence to increase the potential to improve the lives of millions of people. Methods and approach: This article is based on structured reflection and analysis of 20 years of contributions to the evidence ecosystem in low-, lower-middle, and upper-middle income countries (L&MICs), in particular in Africa. It includes analysis of documentation of initiatives, policies, and practices relating to the production and use of evidence, with a focus on South Africa. Findings: There are clear shifts within evidence-informed decisionmaking (EIDM) systems over time in the production of evidence and in the implementation of evidence approaches. The varied experiences documented in South Africa and across L&MICs highlight valuable lessons for others. In South Africa the policies underpinning evidence use, and the political context in which evidence-informed decision-making takes place, combine to contribute to increasing use of evidence in the country. Reflecting on the system developments across Africa and further afield reveals how one country's system is both influenced by these wider contexts and has potential to influence the wider system with clear policy implications. Policy implications: Routine use of evidence in decision-making requires new practices to become standard across not only policy systems, but also evidence systems. Changes are needed across a range of actors, organizations, and institutions. There are lessons to be learnt from varied experiences including those in L&MICs, to inform advances towards the institutionalization of evidence use in policy. This case study highlights the importance of synergistic developments in both evidence

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How evidence, implementation, policy, and politics come together within evidence systems: Lessons from South Africa

Stewart¹

2023

Development Policy Review

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“…Bruce (2020) mentions that police's aggressive behaviour is clearly a manifestation of less transformed policing in post-apartheid South Africa. Newham (2017) highlights that approximately 80% of protestations in South Africa cannot be classified as violet but the unfortunate situation is that media frequently report on protest actions where acts of violence have occurred. Following this view, the extent and levels of police brutality in handling on protestation by police officials is disturbing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Police’s behaviour in response to handling of protestations in South Africa

Hlongwane

2023

IJRBS

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The use of force by members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) has been widely reported. Unfortunately, the situation does not seem to be improving. However, it is not yet reported whether the members of the SAPS instinctively display aggressive or nonaggressive behaviour in response to the handling of violent and non-violent protestations in South Africa. Therefore, this article aims to assess whether police’s behaviour in the handling of protestations is instinctively aggressive or nonaggressive. Secondly, the article reflects on the possible factors that may contribute to the police’s aggressive behaviour towards protestations in South Africa. This article makes use of videography, which is a qualitative method of inquiry and interpretive in nature. Videography involves analysing video data as a focused hermeneutical and ethnographic exercise. In this regard, video recordings that are publicly accessible online which show South African police’s responses and conduct when handling protestation were analysed. Such videos were purposefully selected as they were deemed fit and useful for the object of this paper. Another method that was applied is a critical review of literature on police brutality in South Africa. Based on the analysis of evidence flowing from video analysis, it is clear that members of the SAPS tend to display aggressive behaviour when responding to violent protestations. At the same time, some members of the SAPS seem to lose their temper due to provocations by protesting individuals. The article reveals that the handling of protestations requires a thorough assessment of risks that may be incurred when applying various strategies for crowd management. This may need the state to invest in training and skilling the members of the SAPS in handling of violent and non-violent protestations. The article provides the basis for crowd management specialists within the SAPS to develop strategies suitable for ensuring professional and nonaggressive behaviour by the police in handling both violent and non-violent protestations.

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Policing for impact: Is South Africa ready for Evidence-Based Policing?

Cited by 2 publications

References 10 publications

How evidence, implementation, policy, and politics come together within evidence systems: Lessons from South Africa

How evidence, implementation, policy, and politics come together within evidence systems: Lessons from South Africa

Police’s behaviour in response to handling of protestations in South Africa

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