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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | Protection from Crime: What is on Offer for Africans? |
Author: | Baker, Bruce |
Year: | 2004 |
Periodical: | Journal of Contemporary African Studies |
Volume: | 22 |
Issue: | 2 |
Period: | May |
Pages: | 165-188 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | Africa |
Subjects: | organized crime crime prevention police national security Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups) Law, Human Rights and Violence |
External links: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/cjca0258900042000230005 http://ejournals.ebsco.com/direct.asp?ArticleID=4A52A70D92F54C24333D |
Abstract: | The perceptions of failing State police and rising crime have created a situation where a plethora of non-State policing groups has emerged across Africa. Their variety is bewildering. They include informal organized security groups (vigilantes), religious police, ethnic/clan militias, political party militia groups, Civil Defence Forces, both informal and formal commercial security groups, State-approved civil guarding, traditional courts, and restorative justice committees ('community courts'). They may be characterized according to their role(s) as authorizer or provider, operational range, legality of actions, degree of cooperation with State police, commercial status (for profit or not), and mentality of surveillance or punishment. The widespread use of and support for non-State policing undermines the legitimacy of the State police and exacerbates inequality, since the nature of non-State policing means that it cannot offer equality of accessibility and adjudication. Accountability, quality of service, available sanctions and consistency of treatment for citizens are all matters for real concern. Though perhaps inevitable, non-State policing creates serious problems for new democracies. Bibliogr. [ASC Leiden abstract] |