Browsing by Author "Choritz, Sharon Lisa"

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    Gangs and youth at risk in the Western Cape a review of the literature
    (2007) Choritz, Sharon Lisa; Van Der Spuy, Eirena
    Gangs affect countries the world-over. The formation and consolidation of criminal gangs remains entwined with political, economic and social factors. In this minor dissertation criminological debates relating to the phenomenon of gangs are explored within the South African context, with a particular focus upon marginalised youth in the Western Cape. By drawing on a range of scholarly material, documentary material and legislative reports, a number of thematic issues relevant to the development and regulation (control) of gangs in South Africa are considered. South African history played a significant role in gang formation and development, especially amongst marginalised youth. In the case of South Africa, a number of political and socio economic factors provided a fertile breeding ground for the formation of gangs. The range of factors is discussed in this paper. Furthermore, legislation designed to stifle gang activity will be reviewed and intervention strategies identified and assessed. In the final instance I argue that gangsterism needs to be addressed holistically. A holistic approach will have to involve socio-economic development, community involvement and law enforcement. A truly holistic approach requires the co-ordination of the various relevant stakeholders as well as the growth of human development so as to address the psychological needs of marginalised youth, an important tool for youth identity and transformation.
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    Youth at risk: politics, crime; its accessories and youth justice in South Africa
    (2009) Choritz, Sharon Lisa; Berg, Julie
    Youth violence assumes several forms which may be attributed towards a complex set of causes inextricably linked to the oppressive past which provide an explanation towards the nature and frequency of violence incidents. Central to such causes are; the 'culture of violence' which remains firmly entrenched in our society, structural inequalities onset by the Apartheid government and the escalating unemployment rates. Discourse intent upon providing explanations for the rising crime rates have emphasized unequal power relations, strong patriarchal values and entrenched conventional notions of masculinity and femininity as causal factors. The emphasis rests upon the fact that youth violence and victimization result not only from political and socioeconomic inequality, but may also be accredited towards expressions of gender identity as well as the manner in which society construct and reconstruct such identities. Dominant theorists' upon this subject, reason that poor, young men associate marginalization and powerlessness experienced under the Apartheid and post-Apartheid regime as a form of emasculation, which when internalized, finds its expression through the medium of violence. The alliance between male identity and criminal violence is expressed in crimes such as hijackings, assaults, gang activities, housebreakings and sexual violence committed against women and girls. Assessments of both national and international literature upon the subject of crime, delinquency and violence amongst youth have evolved along gender-specific lines. The general consensuses amongst researchers are that males both perpetrate and experience the most degree of violence and that this is generally recognized as a resulting effect of masculinity. The persistent popularity of violent crime in South Africa constitutes a form of 'compensatory manhood ' which witness young men searching to salvage a sense of masculinity/male identity by partaking in crime and violence. However, whilst it is imperative for the growth of this nation to recognize the contributing factors underlying the reasons as to why adolescents, especially males, gravitate towards subcultures, such as gangs, it is, nonetheless, imperative that such youngsters are restrained and their behaviour restricted as the violence of the Apartheid years has led to the belief among many South Africans that violence is an acceptable means of resolving conflict. The mistreatment of our youth under the Apartheid regime is a strong indicator that the South African justice system was not implemented with young people in mind and did not function with the purpose of assuming their fidelity. The reason in part, is our inheritance of a legal system, derived from Britain, which was designed for control, not for social restoration or personal transformation. Owing to the British influence upon our law, we too adopted such approach, though it was to our detriment. Furthermore, collective adolescent behaviour particularly in the arena of gangs is little understood by law officials skilled in western legal procedures. Thus, in dealing with youth at risk it is vital that one interacts with them in a fitting and fair manner as well as a suitable forum; subscribing to the fact that we too, experienced the anxieties and turmoil accompanied by the transition to adolescence and all that it presented namely; the pressures to conform and the wish to transform. Thus with this in mind, legal personnel, assume a responsibility by virtue of their title, to ensure inhabitants' of South Africa are dealt with in a manner particular to them. The central feature of this study was to explore the affiliation between marginalized youth, the construct of masculinity and its accompanying violence exhibited in South Africa today. This paper further serves to highlight the link between Apartheid, poverty, unemployment, unequal opportunities, gangs and crime and through the medium of this interrelated relationship; demonstrate how the effects of the past have impacted upon the opportunities for youth today.