The use of the routine activities theory on policing informal settlements in the Global South

Abstract

ABSTRACT Countries such as Latin America, Asia and Africa in the Global South are characterized by the prevalence of informal settlements, where policing is very challenging. Empirical research in an informal settlement in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) highlighted these challenges which included a lack of infrastructure and roads. Accurate geospatial data are required to timeously identify crime hotspots and, when three (03) elements of the Routine Activities Theory are applied to these locations, effective crime prevention is possible. By capturing crime-scene data with handheld Global Positioning System (GPS) instruments, police data will be more accurate in terms of temporal and spatial information. Not only will this enhance crime-prevention activities, it will also have a positive impact on police service delivery within these areas.