1 How organised is crime in Southern Africa? Briefing on the state of trans-national organised crime in Southern Africa ISS Conference Room, Pretoria 21 April 2010 How organised is crime in Southern Africa? Briefing on the state of trans-national organised crime in Southern Africa ISS Conference Room, Pretoria 21 April 2010

2 Setting the Context The concept of organised crime Trans-national character of organised crime Our current research into trans-national organised crime in the sub-region Trans-national organised crime in the broader context

Organised crime In the eyes of criminologists It is criminal activity: by a group of persons that relies on or is prepared to use violence, corruption of public officials, penetration of the legitimate economy and/or of the political process for material benefit which requires complex/sophisticated methods of investigation/prevention (Von Lampe, Levi et al) 3

Organised crime In the perception of law enforcement agencies in the region: Organized crime is: crime committed by two or more perpetrators, who are aware of each other’s existence and general role, and who are acting in concert serious crime – as determined by potential or actual harm crime committed repeatedly, and motivated by the prospect of material (usually financial) gain 4

Organised crime Organized crime may also have the following incidental, but non-essential characteristics: Committed by a criminal group that is structured like a business A division of responsibilities The leaders of the criminal group have disciplinary authority over other members of the group Facilitated by the use, or threatened use of violence, blackmail, extortion, intimidation or corruption Accompanied and supported by money laundering Traverses national and international boundaries Committed by the use of sophisticated or complex transactions 5

Trans-national character of organised crime Traverses national and international boundaries, by virtue of: Being planned in one country and committed in another Multi-national impact Multi-national composition of perpetrators (UN Convention against TOC) 6

OCML Research into sub- regional TOC Envisages law enforcement institutions/agencies that are better informed and more effective in combating trans-national organised crime that occurs within or impacts on the sub-region. Formally launched in April, 2008 Aspires to regularly document the nature, incidence and impact of trans-national organised crime Based on observations, field work and interviews 7

Regional organised crime in the broader context Prominent and recurrent characteristics in global TOC over the last five years were: Escalation of financial crime Increasing linkages between drug trafficking and other forms of organised crime (stock theft, cattle-rustling, corruption) Declining markets for narcotics in certain developed countries, simultaneously with increases in consumption in certain developing countries Continuation of criminality in the procurement and marketing of precious natural resources 8

9 Pre-requisites for effective policing Policing institution Information on commission of crime Cognitive and investigative competence Resources Institutional support (law and structures) Building collaborative anti-crime mechanisms 9

Challenges to effective policing in the region Vague structures of accountability, with most agencies being answerable to either to themselves or to elite sectors Inadequate co-ordination and exchange of intelligence between police and other departments relevant to policing, due partly to legislative prohibitions on data sharing and partly to differences in cultural and policy objectives the prevailing state of political relations between different countries 10

Challenges to effective policing in the region Lack of information from foreign sources Inadequacy of resources Differences in legal systems, Prejudiced perceptions about the credibility of foreign criminal justice regimes Political connections of the suspect in the host country 11

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