Diversion in South Africa: A review of policy and practice, 1990-2003

This research paper reviews the concept and practice of diversion for children in South Africa between 1990 and 2003, focusing on the transition from disjointed implementation to a formalised framework under the Child Justice Bill.

• Since the early 1990s, South Africa has seen an increase in the number and scope of diversion programmes for children. These interventions are viewed by children as more beneficial than punitive sentences, which are noted to rarely succeed in preventing recidivism.
• Cost analysis indicates that the initial investment needed to create appropriate diversion programmes is quickly recovered through the reduction of time children spend in custody.
• Prior to the enactment of the Child Justice Bill (49 of 2002), diversion was implemented in a selective and disjointed manner without a regulating legislative framework. The Child Justice Bill was specifically drafted to regulate and promote the diversion of cases away from formal court procedures.

APA

Wood, C. (n.d.). Diversion in South Africa: A review of policy and practice, 1990-2003. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/research/papers/diversion-in-south-africa-a-review-of-policy-and-practice-1990-2003

Chicago

Wood, Catherine. Diversion in South Africa: A review of policy and practice, 1990-2003. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/research/papers/diversion-in-south-africa-a-review-of-policy-and-practice-1990-2003.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Wood |first1=Catherine |title=Diversion in South Africa: A review of policy and practice, 1990-2003 |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/research/papers/diversion-in-south-africa-a-review-of-policy-and-practice-1990-2003 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{woodnddiversion, author = {Wood, Catherine}, title = {{Diversion in South Africa: A review of policy and practice, 1990-2003}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/research/papers/diversion-in-south-africa-a-review-of-policy-and-practice-1990-2003}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }