Strafsekerheid ten opsigte van jeugoortreders en jeugmisdadigers tussen die ouderdomme van 14 – 18 in Suid-Afrika : ʼn penologiese studie

Abstract

Die Suid-Afrikaanse kindergeregtigheidsmilieu is ʼn sensitiewe terrein waarbinne aansienlike gebreke manifesteer. Suid-Afrikaanse kindergeregtigheidswetgewing bied teoretiesgewys genoegsame beskerming vir kinderregte, maar die praktiese implementering van hierdie teoretiesgebaseerde beleidsraamwerke is in ʼn hoё mate gebrekkig as gevolg van te veel infrastrukturele gebreke en hulpbrontekorte. Ook binne die onderwysmilieu as invloedryke opvoedings- en onderrigruimte word ernstige leemtes ervaar, en as gevolg hiervan word internaliseringsmoontlikhede van positiewe, maatskaplik-gebaseerde norme en waardes geїnhibeer. Gevolglik word daar min ruimte gelaat vir rasionaliseringsprosesse. Binne die Suid-Afrikaanse kindergeregtigheidsmilieu word rasionaliseringsprosesse, waarbinne potensieel positiewe strafbelewings by kinderoortreders die moontlikheid van suksesvolle strafuitkomste vergroot, onderbeklemtoon. Rondom kwessies wat verband hou met inherente strafwaardes en strafsekerheid blyk dit dat veral die aard (gehalte en betekenis) van die strafwaarborg kontroversieel is. ʼn Balans tussen die rasionaliteit van strafregtelikheid en die kwalitatiewe insette van kinderregte-organisasies staan neweskikkend tot die idealiteitsverband tussen doelmatige straftoepassing en positiewe strafuitkomste. Dit is noodsaaklik dat alle belanghebbendes betrokke by kindergeregtigheid in Suid-Afrika inkoop by die daarstelling en veral die implementering van effektiewe regstoepassingsmeganismes en straftoepassingspraktyke. Kwesbare kinders en kinderoortreders in Suid-Afrika is na 27 jaar van demokrasie geregtig op die implementering van billike beregtings- en verbandhoudende infrastrukturele praktyke.

The South African child-justice milieu is a sensitive field inside which considerable shortcomings manifest themselves. Theoretically speaking, South African child-justice legislation provides sufficient protection of children’s rights, but the practical implementation of these theory-based policy frameworks are by and large insufficient as a result of too many infrastructural flaws and a shortage of resources. Serious vacuums also exist within the teaching milieu as influential educational and tuition space and as a result, the internalisation possibilities of positive, socially based norms and values are inhibited. Consequently, little room is left for rationalisation processes. Rationalisation processes, in which potentially positive penal experiences of child-offenders increase the possibility of successful penal outcomes, are under-emphasized within the South African child-justice milieu. In terms of the issues related to the inherent values and surety/certainty of punishment, it would appear that the nature (value and meaning) of the guarantee of punishment is controversial. A balance between the rationality of criminal law and the qualitative inputs of children’s rights organisations are coordinative to the ideal relational context between effective punishment and positive penal outcomes. It is vital that all role-players involved with child-justice in South Africa buy into the establishment and the implementation especially of effective mechanisms and practices to administer justice. After twenty-seven years of democratic rule, vulnerable children and child offenders in South Africa are entitled to the implementation of reasonable judicial and relatable infrastructural practices.