By Daanyaal Matthews

The Bishop Lavis CPF has welcomed youngsters from the community in assisting in the fight against crime. This comes after a recent community Imbizo wherein the CPF recognized the need to include the need of the youth to better tackle crime.

Talking on VOC Breakfast, Graham Lindhorst, Bishop Lavis CPF Chairperson, stated: “We as a CPF embarked on a program, where we realized that if we want to successfully deal with bringing crime down in the area and change the trajectory of our young people. We need to get young people to speak to those youngsters.  So, we invited young people to be part of the neighbourhood watch, where they can come in and assist with patrols in the morning, at night, any time of the day when its needed and they heeded to the call.”

Crime in South Africa has steadily increased, in particular, murders and sexual assaults, which coupled with reports of the unemployment rate at 32.7%, has raised discussions on the relationship between economic conditions and crime and what can be done to counteract the issue?

Criminologist, Doctor Simon Howell, has stressed the importance of focusing on crime prevention from a grassroots perspective, arguing that much attention is given to security forces to tackle the issue of crime, when, in reality, a wholistic intervention strategy from all spheres of Government which would include SAPS working closer to communities would be required to tackle this pervasive issue.

According to Lindhorst, SAPS has played an important role in not only assisting the Bishop Lavis CPF but also the youth. “SAPs have been supporting because we have even been preaching to these youngsters that you can assist in patrols and bring down crime, but you can also start your career in SAPs and law enforcement as that is sort of a gateway to opening up your career,” he added.