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Sentenced Motor Vehicle Hijackers Imprisoned in Gauteng As a Source of Crime Intelligence

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Sentenced Motor Vehicle Hijackers Imprisoned in Gauteng As a Source of Crime Intelligence SENTENCED MOTOR VEHICLE HIJACKERS IMPRISONED IN GAUTENG AS A SOURCE OF CRIME INTELLIGENCE Rudolph Zinn Programme Group: Police Practice Technikon SA ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This research report is a shortened version of an Mtech dissertation submitted in August 2002 in fulfilment of the requirements of the Magister Technologiae in Correctional Services Management in the Faculty for Public Safety and Criminal Justice at the Technikon Southern Africa. Supervisor: Dr Johan Smit. Co-Supervisor: Dr Johan Kriel. Format, font and spacing has been changed to accommodate the shortened version. i SUMMARY The primary purpose of this study is to determine the willingness of sentenced prisoners (active perpetrators), who are serving their sentences in prisons in Gauteng for cases of motor vehicle hijacking, to provide crime information to police- and correctional officials. The research also attempts to establish, with regard to those prisoners who are prepared to provide crime information to the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), what percentage are prepared to provide such information, the extent and content of such information, at what stage of serving their sentence and under what circumstances they are prepared to provide crime information. In South Africa there is currently no formal programme or procedure by which sentenced offenders are interviewed or “debriefed” to obtain crime information. This study sets out to evaluate the value of sentenced motor vehicle hijackers as an additional source of crime information as well as the viability of utilising this source of information on a routine basis. A descriptive literature study was conducted to obtain information and perspective from available related local and international literature. This also served as the theoretical basis for evaluating the utilisation of crime intelligence in an intelligence led-policing style and the use of an integrated crime intelligence database. During the research extensive interviews were conducted with sentenced motor vehicle hijackers in the six largest prisons in the Gauteng Province. Various objectives were fulfilled in this study, namely: • An analysis of international best practises for obtaining crime information from sentenced offenders • The development of a detailed profile of sentenced motor vehicle hijackers imprisoned in the prisons in Gauteng as well as their modus operandi • Establishing the extent of the willingness of these hijackers to provide crime information • Listing what type of crime information they are willing to provide • Listing to whom they are willing to provide crime information • Establishing the circumstances, conditions, time span, preferences and motivations under which imprisoned motor vehicle hijackers would provide crime information • Confirming the necessity of the multi-agency approach in combating crime in South Africa Moreover, this study provides a framework to the SAPS and the DCS for the utilisation of sentenced motor vehicle hijackers as a source of crime information that can be incorporated in the production of crime intelligence. The DCS will also benefit from this further since they can also use this information to manage offenders while in prison and to build on the co-operation of the offender in the ii management of his/her own rehabilitation programme. Of special relevance to the public are the measures that can be taken to prevent one from falling victim to hijackers, the actions one needs to take during a hijacking to prevent injury or even death, as well as the identification of the possibilities of where such a hijacked vehicle can be traced. Finally, the study contributes to the baseline of knowledge with regard to policing and correctional management as specialist fields within forensic investigation and correctional science. SYNOPSIS OF CHAPTERS Chapter 1: FORMULATION AND RATIONALE OF THE STUDY This chapter serves as an introduction and background as to why this particular subject at this specific time was chosen by the researcher as a research theme. This chapter further deals with the formulation and rationale of the study and sets out the current crime situation in South Africa. Chapter 2: PRISONERS AS A SOURCE OF CRIME INFORMATION This chapter deals with the obtaining of crime information from prisoners and the utilisation value thereof. This is linked to the relatively new concept of debriefing prisoners after their sentencing in order to obtain crime information, convert that to crime intelligence and then to utilise this within an intelligence-led policing concept. The remainder of this chapter is aimed at discussing examples of so-called international practices and ‘best practices’ in this regard. The examples are largely drawn from American and English practices since these two countries are currently the only two that formally gather crime information on a large scale from prisoners and make this information available in publications. This was confirmed in a letter to the author from Interpol Head Office, Lyon, France (De Saint Maur, 1999:1). Chapter 3: JURIDICAL LIMITATIONS ON THE INTERVIEWING OF PRISONERS This chapter deals with the judicial limitations in South African legislation regarding the interviewing of prisoners. South Africa is still a relatively young democracy and it is therefore very important for the law enforcement agencies to know and understand the role played by the law in a democracy. According to Olivier (1987:27) people’s lives are regulated and controlled by societal rules. Therefore, it is important that the interviewer, including the crime investigator, knows, understands and complies with the rules (laws, court judgements, regulations of the SAPS, orders and training in criminal investigation etc.) in order to avoid any pitfalls. Chapter 4: THE PROFILE OF SENTENCED MOTOR VEHICLE HIJACKERS IMPRISONED IN GAUTENG This chapter deals with the profile of sentenced motor vehicle hijackers imprisoned in prisons in Gauteng inclusive of their biographical profiles and crime records. The second part of the chapter provides an overview of the hijackings for which the respondents have been sentenced and imprisoned including the modus operandi followed for the hijackings. iii Chapter 5: RATIONALE AND CRIME MILIEU FOR MOTOR VEHICLE HIJACKING This chapter deals largely with the rationale for the modus operandi of the respondents for the motor vehicle hijacking they have committed. From this information it is possible to get an insight into why certain actions were taken by the respondents during the crime. This also allows for the formulation of crime prevention strategies in order to address the specific elements that formed the rationale of the respondents. This could further serve as valuable information for the public. For example what made the respondents angry and led to excessive force being used to only overcome any resistance from the hijacking victim. Secondary to the rationale this chapter also deals with the crime associates of the respondents, as well as the sentences they have to serve. Chapter 6: IMPRISONED MOTOR VEHICLE HIJACKERS AS A SOURCE OF CRIME INFORMATION This chapter deals with the main focus of this study, namely to determine the willingness of imprisoned hijackers to provide crime information. This is analysed in a two fold manner in the sense that the crime information provided firstly referred to the hijacking(s) for which the respondent was serving his sentence at the time of the interview, and secondly also to crime information in general (inside and outside of the prison) which the respondent possessed at the time of the interview. A further aspect addressed in this chapter is the issue of the incentives and motivational measures necessary/required for the respondents to provide crime information. Chapter 7: ASPECTS OF THE PROVISION OF CRIME INFORMATION This chapter deals with the analysis of to whom the respondents are willing to provide crime information and what type of information is provided. It also deals with the opinions of the respondents with regard to best anti-hijacking strategies and preventative measures to be taken by the potential hijacking target as well as the survival of the victim. Chapter 8: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS This chapter concludes the study with conclusions and recommendations on the findings of the study. These conclusions and findings are dealt with in regard to the primary and secondary objectives as summarised in section 1.5.2 supra. 1.15 CONCLUSION The validity and reliability emanating from the research methodology led to a high probability that the results can be projected to the whole population of sentenced motor vehicle hijackers imprisoned in prisons in South Africa. The fact that the research methodology can be replicated in practical terms by the SAPS and DCS creates the ideal situation where the conclusions and recommendations as contained in chapters 4 to 8 will have inestimable practical value for the SAPS and DCS. iv BRIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 FORMULATION AND RATIONALE OF THE STUDY....................................... 1 CHAPTER 2 PRISONERS AS A SOURCE OF CRIME INFORMATION .............................. 38 CHAPTER 3 JURIDICAL LIMITATIONS ON THE INTERVIEWING OF PRISONERS... 56 CHAPTER 4 THE PROFILE OF SENTENCED MOTOR VEHICLE HIJACKERS IMPRISONED IN GAUTENG ..................................................... 60 CHAPTER 5 RATIONALE AND CRIME MILIEU FOR MOTOR VEHICLE HIJACKING87 CHAPTER 6 IMPRISONED MOTOR VEHICLE HIJACKERS AS A SOURCE
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