The South African Prosecution Service: Linchpin of the South African Criminal Justice System

Keuthen, Jens Christian

The South African Prosecution Service: Linchpin of the South African Criminal Justice System

Master Thesis

2014-07-30

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Institute of Criminology

Faculty

Faculty of Law

Abstract

The prosecution service is a key role player in the criminal justice system. Its effectiveness and efficiency directly reflect on the performance and service of the whole criminal justice system. The South African prosecution service in its current shape is relatively young. Constitutional and legislative provisions supplemented by various policy papers have established a framework that in principle allows for an effective and efficient function of the prosecution service in the South African criminal justice system. However, the actual performance of the prosecution service is insufficient, as this thesis suggests. Reasons for the current underperformance can be identified and are strongly linked to the transitional development of the South African prosecution service. In order to increase the performance of the prosecution service and the service of the criminal justice system this thesis explores the challenges facing the prosecution service and that have to be addressed immediately.

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