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This research paper by Antony Altbeker for the Institute for Security Studies examines the divergent trends of property crime in South Africa between the late 1990s and 2004. It argues that the decline in car theft and hijacking was partially mirrored by an increase in aggravated robberies, suggesting a displacement effect where criminals shifted their activities as car theft became riskier and less profitable.

The author argues that crime prevention in South Africa is often stalled by a dichotomy between long-term social regeneration and short-term law enforcement. The paper proposes a third way: using municipal by-laws to target 'those with something to lose'—such as property owners and business licensees—to disrupt the unregulated environments that enable urban crime, rather than relying solely on the police to address deep-seated social inequalities.

A 2002 survey in Meadowlands, Soweto, reveals high rates of victimisation, particularly burglary, robbery, and assault. While police and general public sentiment often blame foreigners for crime, Meadowlands residents identify local unemployed youth living within the community as the primary offenders. The study also highlights a high prevalence of domestic violence and a misalignment between police priorities (such as car hijacking) and the actual most frequent crimes experienced by residents.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the relationship between the physical environment and crime in South Africa's major cities. It argues that apartheid-era urban planning created fragmented, segregated cities that foster insecurity, particularly in townships and informal settlements. The document advocates for crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) as a necessary component of multifaceted crime prevention strategies, emphasizing that design interventions should target specific environmental factors that increase the risk of victimisation and the fear of crime.

This research paper examines the relationship between illicit drugs and violence in South Africa, applying the 'tripartite conceptual framework' to analyze psychopharmacological, economic compulsive, and systemic violence. It highlights South Africa's emergence as a major transit point for international drug trafficking and warns that the resulting systemic violence and corruption could undermine the state's governability.

This report from the Institute for Security Studies examines the intersection of HIV/AIDS and policing in South Africa, the perceptions of personal security in Soweto townships, the 'sieve effect' of the criminal justice system's conviction rates, and crime trends within the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality.

This collection of articles from SA Crime Quarterly No 8 (June 2004) examines various aspects of the South African criminal justice system, including the legality of lethal force in property defense, police accountability and misconduct monitoring, strategies for local crime prevention through by-laws, national victimisation trends, the application of the Domestic Violence Act by magistrates, and the operational mandate and independence of the Directorate of Special Operations (the Scorpions).

This report details a study of nearly 3,000 arrestees in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban to examine the relationship between drug use and crime in South Africa. Using interviews and urinalysis, the research identifies strong ethnic and regional segmentation in drug markets, noting high prevalence of cannabis and Mandrax among certain groups and a growing crack cocaine market linked to sex work and Nigerian syndicates. The authors argue for nuanced, locally-based interventions rather than broad national strategies.