This article explores the phenomenon of gang rape incidents committed by strangers and makes reco... more This article explores the phenomenon of gang rape incidents committed by strangers and makes recommendations for more effective preventive and investigative decision-making. The recommendations are based on empirical results obtained from an analysis of 90 closed and unsolved gang rape cases committed by strangers in Port Elizabeth between January 2007 and January 2008. An established docket analysis tool, referred to as a rape matrix, was used with the specific aims of exploring the value of docket analysis as an investigative tool in gang rape investigations and of gaining an improved understanding of the dynamics of gang rape incidents. Shortcomings were furthermore identified in the investigative decision-making and management of gang rape cases. Finally, the authors attempted to identify patterns and similarities amongst these closed and unsolved gang rape cases which could be indicative of repeat gang rape offenders. The results obtained from the docket analysis make a significant contribution to current knowledge on the dynamics of gang rape incidents and furthermore highlight two distinct patterns which were identified through the content analysis of these cases. This article demystifies some investigative complexities linked with gang rape incidents committed by strangers and highlights high-risk themes within a community-based setting which could prove useful in crime prevention initiatives.
This article explores the intricacies of modus operandi, signature and fantasy as distinctive beh... more This article explores the intricacies of modus operandi, signature and fantasy as distinctive behaviour in stranger rape cases involving child victims that were reported in Port Elizabeth, which were analysed by means of a rape matrix. The authors identified distinctive behaviour of offenders in two possible rape series’ involving child victims. Consequently, the authors probe whether a more comprehensive investigation, which reflects an understanding of modus operandi, signature and fantasy behaviour, could have determined if both rape series were perpetrated by the same offender. The article, furthermore, explores examples of reported cases to illustrate how modus operandi, signature or fantasy can manifest amongst offenders, and, should this behaviour recur in a subsequent case, could be indicative of the same offender committing the crime. The findings suggest that the presence of these distinct behaviours in conjunction with aspects such as the geographic location and time of the rapes could be indicative of serial rape activity. The results obtained from the child rape cases in this study contribute to a practical understanding of how distinctive behaviour, indicative of serial rape activity, can be identified by practitioners, who provide response and investigative service to sexually abused children in a professional capacity, such as police officials, social workers and psychologists.
The use of case docket analysis as a crime information product is often documented as significant... more The use of case docket analysis as a crime information product is often documented as significant to many criminal fact-finding activities. Despite the often theoretical reference to case docket analysis in literature, such as research papers and crime reports, the understanding and real-life experiences of criminal investigators, crime analysts and crime researchers regarding the practicability of this product remains silent. Insight into the dynamics of case docket analysis could inform these role-players of the value of case docket analysis as an effective crime information product. This article explores and describes criminal investigators’, crime analysts’ and crime researchers’ first-hand understanding and operational experiences about the ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘how’ of case docket analysis to assist in uncovering the hidden transcripts in crime data and translating such data into usable empirical evidence. The data was generated from a sample of Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit detectives, experts from the Investigative Psychology Unit (IPU) of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and crime analysts and information managers attached to the SAPS’s Crime Information Management Centre (CIMC) and Organised Crime Unit. The experiences of the selected sample were probed by means of semi-structured interviews. From the results of this research it was confirmed that docket analysis serves to understand holistically the different dynamics and contributing factors of crime, fuel policing and investigative decision making, analyse specific crime incidents in terms of, amongst others, modus operandi, possibilities for linkages and narrowing down the scope of an investigation. This study concluded that case docket analysis is information-driven and a viable and effective crime information product that has the potential to narrow the focus of criminal investigation. Finally, this article recommends the implementation of a more specific and analytical approach to case docket analysis as opposed to a generalised and haphazard approach. It is the view of the authors that the aforementioned approach would contribute significantly to a more pragmatic methodology which gives due credence to criminal investigation as a systematic and organised search for the truth.
This article explores the phenomenon of gang rape incidents committed by strangers and makes reco... more This article explores the phenomenon of gang rape incidents committed by strangers and makes recommendations for more effective preventive and investigative decision-making. The recommendations are based on empirical results obtained from an analysis of 90 closed and unsolved gang rape cases committed by strangers in Port Elizabeth between January 2007 and January 2008. An established docket analysis tool, referred to as a rape matrix, was used with the specific aims of exploring the value of docket analysis as an investigative tool in gang rape investigations and of gaining an improved understanding of the dynamics of gang rape incidents. Shortcomings were furthermore identified in the investigative decision-making and management of gang rape cases. Finally, the authors attempted to identify patterns and similarities amongst these closed and unsolved gang rape cases which could be indicative of repeat gang rape offenders. The results obtained from the docket analysis make a significant contribution to current knowledge on the dynamics of gang rape incidents and furthermore highlight two distinct patterns which were identified through the content analysis of these cases. This article demystifies some investigative complexities linked with gang rape incidents committed by strangers and highlights high-risk themes within a community-based setting which could prove useful in crime prevention initiatives.
This article explores the intricacies of modus operandi, signature and fantasy as distinctive beh... more This article explores the intricacies of modus operandi, signature and fantasy as distinctive behaviour in stranger rape cases involving child victims that were reported in Port Elizabeth, which were analysed by means of a rape matrix. The authors identified distinctive behaviour of offenders in two possible rape series’ involving child victims. Consequently, the authors probe whether a more comprehensive investigation, which reflects an understanding of modus operandi, signature and fantasy behaviour, could have determined if both rape series were perpetrated by the same offender. The article, furthermore, explores examples of reported cases to illustrate how modus operandi, signature or fantasy can manifest amongst offenders, and, should this behaviour recur in a subsequent case, could be indicative of the same offender committing the crime. The findings suggest that the presence of these distinct behaviours in conjunction with aspects such as the geographic location and time of the rapes could be indicative of serial rape activity. The results obtained from the child rape cases in this study contribute to a practical understanding of how distinctive behaviour, indicative of serial rape activity, can be identified by practitioners, who provide response and investigative service to sexually abused children in a professional capacity, such as police officials, social workers and psychologists.
The use of case docket analysis as a crime information product is often documented as significant... more The use of case docket analysis as a crime information product is often documented as significant to many criminal fact-finding activities. Despite the often theoretical reference to case docket analysis in literature, such as research papers and crime reports, the understanding and real-life experiences of criminal investigators, crime analysts and crime researchers regarding the practicability of this product remains silent. Insight into the dynamics of case docket analysis could inform these role-players of the value of case docket analysis as an effective crime information product. This article explores and describes criminal investigators’, crime analysts’ and crime researchers’ first-hand understanding and operational experiences about the ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘how’ of case docket analysis to assist in uncovering the hidden transcripts in crime data and translating such data into usable empirical evidence. The data was generated from a sample of Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit detectives, experts from the Investigative Psychology Unit (IPU) of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and crime analysts and information managers attached to the SAPS’s Crime Information Management Centre (CIMC) and Organised Crime Unit. The experiences of the selected sample were probed by means of semi-structured interviews. From the results of this research it was confirmed that docket analysis serves to understand holistically the different dynamics and contributing factors of crime, fuel policing and investigative decision making, analyse specific crime incidents in terms of, amongst others, modus operandi, possibilities for linkages and narrowing down the scope of an investigation. This study concluded that case docket analysis is information-driven and a viable and effective crime information product that has the potential to narrow the focus of criminal investigation. Finally, this article recommends the implementation of a more specific and analytical approach to case docket analysis as opposed to a generalised and haphazard approach. It is the view of the authors that the aforementioned approach would contribute significantly to a more pragmatic methodology which gives due credence to criminal investigation as a systematic and organised search for the truth.
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