Alaina Varvaloucas, Yale University
“Policing the Police: Democracy and Effective Methods of Accountability in Post-Apartheid South Africa”
Bio: Alaina Varvaloucas is a senior at Yale. The past year and a half, she worked in Ghana and Sierra Leone and studied in South Africa, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Her main interest is transitional justice and post-conflict African politics. She has done several research projects on these subjects, and is hoping to become more involved in reporting on the ground. She intends on one day going to law school.
Abstract: This study seeks to explore the extent and effectiveness of systems of criminal accountability of the police force in South Africa. More specifically, it explores the pros and cons of existing organizations mandated to deter police from acting criminally and punish them when they do, and the need to strengthen them. The study first takes a look at such organizations as the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD)—which is an independent civilian oversight body—and the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) internal disciplinary system and assesses their strengths and limitations in providing a culture of accountability. The study then focuses on police culture and attitudes toward accountability, and finishes by analyzing the importance of creating effective systems of accountability in a democracy. This paper presents two major conclusions: first, systems of criminal accountability for police officers in South Africa are ineffective and inefficient. Second, systems of criminal accountability should be strengthened and reformed because an accountable police force is one of the pillars of democracy. There are several debates regarding this, including police culture and opinion and a high crime rate, but the end result is that for a country still recovering from the wounds of apartheid, a just police force accountable for its actions is a necessity.
