By Roelof Bezuidenhout

When it comes to crime, farm dwellers and city residents have more in common than they might realise.

First, both rely on neighbourhood watches and farm watches made up of committed citizens who give up their free time to act as unofficial police officers – or security guards, for that matter. In South Africa, there are roughly three times as many private security guards as policer officers. Add the many volunteers involved in these watch groups, and you have a staggering number of ordinary people doing their best to fight crime.

Second, both groups live with a constant sense of unease. You never know when you might become the next victim, no matter where you are.

Third, almost everyone knows someone who has been affected by violent crime. Each incident leaves a trail of trauma. Every one of the 20 000 murders committed annually shatters a family – whether it’s parents, children or grandchildren left behind. That’s 20 000 traumatised families every year, not counting the broader toll on communities already stretched to the limit.

The key difference is that farmers and their properties are often isolated and vulnerable. In many cases, crime has already forced farmers out of business or left them completely paralysed.

Living on alert

Many South Africans consider crime as the country’s most pressing issue – yet few understand why it continues to escalate or why the justice system is failing so badly. With the rise in robberies, the accompanying senseless violence, evolving criminal methods, and the expansion of syndicates and organised crime, public perception is that crime is out of control.

Housebreaking – especially farm attacks – is particularly feared, as there is always the possibility that intruders may strike while the family is at home. Unlike avoiding dangerous areas or taking steps to prevent theft, there is no way to avoid your own home.

Break-ins with theft as the motive frequently lead to confrontation, often resulting in violence or even murder. Yet only a small fraction of these crimes ever reach the courts.

So what’s going wrong? For answers, we have to look to criminologists. It is a fascinating field of study, and an equally fascinating profession. Criminologists research both sides of crime: They interview convicted offenders as well as victims. While they cannot solve the crime problem themselves, they can analyse it and offer informed recommendations – some of which might work, if only the authorities acted on them.

Some criminologists argue that long prison sentences are less effective as deterrents than the certainty of being caught. Their reasoning: If someone gets away with one murder, they are more likely to kill again. Imprisonment often fails to prevent reoffending because prisons can become environments for criminal learning and social stigma. So, while incarceration is meant to protect society and rehabilitate offenders, it may in fact increase the likelihood of repeat offences. Many prisoners have been incarcerated before.

The roots of crime

The causes of criminal behaviour vary depending on the individual and the type of crime, but some patterns are clear. There is general agreement that child neglect, along with poverty, unemployment and substance abuse, are among the strongest contributing factors. Early intervention programmes aimed at at-risk children and youth could be one of the most cost-effective ways to prevent future criminal behaviour.

Research consistently shows that many offenders come from severely disadvantaged backgrounds. One study found that 42% of male and 33% of female prisoners showed signs of an acquired brain injury and a possible intellectual disability; 42% had a psychiatric risk rating; 63,7% of male prisoners were unemployed at the time of their arrest; and only a tiny percentage had completed high school, vocational training or tertiary education.

This trend likely holds true in many parts of the world. But what can be done about it?

Years ago, New York City demonstrated that tackling petty crimes was an effective strategy for curbing more serious crime. The approach was based on a zero-tolerance policy and strong community involvement. The idea was to punish offenders financially and compensate victims, thereby restoring some form of justice.

The reality in South Africa, however, is that few people even bother to report crimes like cellphone theft or more serious robberies, let alone see them resolved.

Organised crime finds new ground

Adding to the problem is the ever-evolving nature of crime. Robbery constantly shifts in form and location. Shut it down in one area, and it resurfaces elsewhere – switching from hijackings to kidnappings, or from targeting supermarkets to banks, or even farms.

Syndicates are steadily tightening their grip on both the formal and informal sectors of the economy, including agriculture. Organised crime is a silent killer of communities and local economies. Its reach is vast, yet its leadership remains largely invisible – and seemingly untouchable. This is one of the reasons livestock theft is so appealing to criminal networks.

Failures and a lack of trust

One safety plan after another has failed. Police host meeting upon meeting, but little changes on the ground. In a show of force, they may arrest a big-shot criminal to generate positive publicity – only for the individual to continue operating from behind bars, making a mockery of the system.

Everyone has a role to play in fighting crime, starting with simply reporting it. There also needs to be greater trust between communities and their local police stations. But a larger question remains: Do the various departments have the skills and capacity to carry out intelligence gathering, investigations, and operations targeting organised crime and high-level corruption?

Many of the most experienced officers have reached retirement age. At the same time, promotions at both political and operational levels too often reward loyalty or connections over competence.

The true cost of crime goes far beyond the numbers in official statistics. It is felt in the erosion of public confidence, the disruption of lives and livelihoods, and the constant state of fear. You’ll know crime is truly under control only when you start feeling safe – on the train, in your car or on the farm.

Perhaps there’s some truth in the saying, every society gets the number of criminals it deserves.

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