Police Integrity in South Africa

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has developed a reputation as a police agency beset by challenges to its integrity. This book offers a unique perspective by providing in-depth analyses of police integrity in South Africa, using the organizational theory of police integrity. It analyzes the complex set of historical, legal, political, social, and economic circumstances shaping police integrity and examines the influence of race, gender, and supervisory status on police integrity.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 338 pages
Publication date: 13 December 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

In the history of South Africa, policing has garnered significant attention due to its longstanding reputation for oppressive law enforcement. The transition from the country's apartheid system to a democratic order in 1994 presented the new government with a formidable challenge: to transform the South African police force into a democratic police agency, known as the South African Police Service (SAPS), that would provide impartial policing to all citizens. Over two decades since the initiation of these reforms, it has become evident that the SAPS has rapidly established a reputation as a police agency plagued by challenges to its integrity.

This book offers a distinctive perspective by delving into comprehensive analyses of police integrity in South Africa. It serves as a case study that systematically and empirically investigates the intricacies of police integrity within a young democracy. Drawing upon the organizational theory of police integrity, the book examines the multifaceted historical, legal, political, social, and economic factors that shape police integrity. An in-depth discussion of the theoretical framework is complemented by the findings of a nationwide survey of nearly 900 SAPS officers, aimed at assessing their knowledge of official rules, their expectations regarding discipline within the SAPS, and their willingness to report misconduct. Additionally, the book explores the influence of race, gender, and supervisory status on police integrity.

Written in a clear and concise manner, this book is designed to appeal to students and scholars of criminology, policing, sociology, political science, as well as to police administrators who are interested in expanding their understanding of police integrity and improving it within their organizations.

Weight: 526g
Dimension: 156 x 234 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367493837