Media Coverage
Article: Critical intervention needed to halt carnage on the road
Cape Times. 10 December 2021. View article online.
Article: Help at hand to back up the 16 days of activism against woman and child abuse campaign
Cape Times. 3 December 2021. View article online
Article: Police focus on domestic violence
Komorant. 2 December 2021. View article online.
Article: Nicro programme helped me turn my life around
The Herald. 25 October 2021. View article online (paywall)
Opinion Editorials
21-year-old suspected of 14 murders: NICRO CEO evaluates
Opinion Editorial by Betzi Pierce, CEO of NICRO
The recent story about a 21-year-old Mpumalanga man who was arrested in connection with a litany of violent crimes, again underscores the extent of violent crime in our society, as well as the urgent need to address it.
Upon hearing this story, one is left to wonder what could lead someone to behave in such a violent and gruesome way. Although no simple answer exists, we must ask, 'what is likely to be the cause of this behaviour?'
In reality, there is a complex interaction of a combination of factors that could lead to this outcome. We must consider whether the suspected offender may have been the victim of physical or sexual abuse themselves; whether they had exposure to violence in their family and community; and whether they have a history of violent and high-risk behaviour. Should there be a history of such behaviour, we need to keep in mind that the younger it starts, the more violent and the greater the propensity to commit such crimes will be.
While trying to understand the compounding factors that underscore violent behaviour, we also need to look at genetic factors; whether brain or head injury has been suffered; whether the use of drugs and alcohol is at play; and whether a combination of stressful family and socioeconomic factors exist. These could include poverty, severe deprivation, single parenting or living with aged grandparents, as well as the loss of support from extended family, to name a few.
Based on this list of factors, it's quite apparent that our society is subject to many, if not all of them. South Africa appears to be riddled with elements that create the perfect breeding ground for criminal, and often violent, behaviour. That is to say that the prevalence of these contributing factors needs to change before we will see a meaningful reduction in the rate of crime.
In cases like this one, certain key steps need to be taken in the wake of such violent criminal acts. Someone who is suspected of crimes of this magnitude needs to be subject to an evaluation. Professional evaluations should be done by psychologists, social workers as well as criminologists, to establish the criminogenic risks in terms of the contributing factors that were outlined previously, and to develop a suitable treatment plan for the offender. The goal of this sort of treatment plan must be to change the behaviour on the part of the offender in question.
Failure to implement adequate treatment for such violent offenders would mean merely incarcerating them for a period of time, following which they're likely to be released back into society without having addressed the causes of their criminal behaviour. This is unfortunately a recipe for reoffending. Sadly, it is also and a depiction of the current state of affairs. Since the rate of recidivism is so high in South Africa, it's almost guaranteed that once someone has committed a crime, they will re-offend if they are not involved in behaviour change programmes and/or don’t get support. This makes the case for an intervention that leads to a change in behaviour, that much more compelling.
One of the ways to change behaviour on the part of an offender is to develop empathy and genuine remorse. The purpose of developing empathy that leads to real change is to help the offender fully understand the harm that was done, and to make reparations. As trained specialists, when we evaluate an offender, we pay careful attention to whether they are sincere, or whether they are merely parroting what they think the evaluator wants to hear.
When considering the impact of personality disorders on an individual's propensity towards committing violent crime, it's important to note that while all personality disorders can be associated with violent crime; some are more prevalent than others. The most common personality disorders (PD) that are associated with violent crime are Sadistic PD, psychopathy, Antisocial PD, and Paranoid PD.
In most cases, where an individual has a long history of involvement in violent crime, we find that there is an increased likelihood that such an individual has a personality disorder, or potentially has some sort of brain injury and that the individual experienced severe deprivation as a young child or was exposed to abuse or a violent caretaker, often a caretaker that abused substances. And that he or she likely started exhibiting violent behaviour from a young age that was left unabated.
How we tackle interventions where youth and children are exhibiting high-risk behaviour is therefore critical in whether we succeed or fail in preventing them from pursuing a life of crime. Once someone has committed a criminal offense, it then becomes even more crucial that we step in and offer effective treatment before the pattern of criminal behaviour becomes entrenched.
**This comment is meant to contribute to civil discourse. NICRO in no way assumes the guilt or innocence of the suspect in question**
16 days Nationwide action campaign: 721 People Reached
Photo Advisory
09 December 2021
NICRO reached a total of 721 people through GBV awareness events across South Africa for 16 days of activism against gender-based violence (GBV). 105 people were reached in Gauteng, 40 in KwaZulu-Natal, 407 were run in Mpumalanga and 169 in the Western Cape.
We hosted the events and programs [see images attached], to educate our communities about GBV, and the lasting wounds that it leaves. Our goal was to lower the level of tolerance of GBV at community level, as well as to break the cycle of violence.
"Working with perpetrators, while educating communities, is key to preventing GBV, says Betzi Pierce, NICRO CEO.
"The solution to intimate partner violence is in working with perpetrators to change the root of their behaviour, through intensive therapeutic intervention. This is the only way to break the cycle of violence," she elaborated.
Although NICRO works with offenders, we cannot neglect the victims.
Victims of GBV are left with scars and need healing. Yet, we often find that we revictimise them either intentionally, through victim shaming, or unintentionally, through the lack of sensitivity training on the part of the SAPS in dealing with their cases.
These factors may deter victims from reporting incidents of GBV. It may also mean that the statistics on GBV don't reflect the true extent of the scourge, due to the low levels of reporting.
Over the last year, just 10.2% of our clients went through our 'perpetrators of intimate violence' programme, which may be pointing to the low reporting rates of GBV and domestic violence.
If we want to stop GBV, the solution lies in changing behaviour on the part of offenders and diminishing tolerance for abuse in our communities. Only by doing this can we take meaningful steps towards ending GBV and creating a safe South Africa.
To see the photos of the events, please click here: Gallery
Enquiries:
Enquiries: Betzi Pierce
Chief Executive Officer at NICRO
084 810 5154
Anneke Burns
PR and Advocacy at NICRO
071 423 0079
Restorative justice can help us deal with the aftermath of the looting: Is an amnesty appropriate?
21 July 2021
By Mike Batley and Anneke Scheepers
Mike Batley is the CEO of the Restorative Justice Centre and Anneke Scheepers is the public relations and advocacy officer at Nicro. The proposal by the SA Council of Churches that there should be ...
The Only Way to Tackle Gender-Based Violence is at its Root: The Offenders
11 August 2021
By Betzi Pierce
As news reports swirl about a woman whose body was found on Women’s Day after having been raped and murdered, and amid an ever-increasing load of gender-based violence (GBV) cases, it is easy to become discouraged in the fight against the scourge.. With every passing year, there seems to be less and less to celebrate when Women’s Month rolls around...
Press Releases
Give them #BooksNotBooze: 58% of children say their friends use alcohol - KwaMashu (15/06/2022)
This youth month NICRO is driving our #BooksNotBooze campaign, calling for more initiatives that warn and empower young people against the harmful effects of alcohol use.
In preparation for an alcohol-harm reduction project, NICRO conducted a baseline survey to determine the extent of alcohol consumption among children in KwaMashu, KwaZulu-Natal. “It turned out during the interviews that 32% of children self-reported that they used alcohol, but reported that 58% of their friends used alcohol”, said Betzi Pierce, CEO of NICRO.
“This is a proxy indicator of children drinking alcohol because a child may withhold information about themselves, but feel free to answer more honestly about their peers. So, this data indicates that children most likely underreported their own consumption of alcohol. We also saw a pattern of increased alcohol consumption as peers get older”, she added.
As part of our preventative programme, NICRO hopes to raise awareness about the adverse effects that alcohol use has on children.
"If we want to see young people flourish and grab the opportunities that exist out there, we need to strengthen the protective factors, while curbing the risk factors that they are exposed to", Betzi added. That is to say, our children need skills development, education, mentoring, and constructive leisure activities, rather than engaging in high-risk behaviour such as alcohol consumption.
"We hope to engage with more partners who are willing to support us in offering these awareness programmes to more youth", Betzi concluded.
Supporters can visit www.nicro.org.za to find out how to partner with this campaign.
Media enquiries:
Betzi Pierce
CEO of NICRO
084 810 5154
Anneke Burns
PR and Advocacy for NICRO
071 423 0079
Taxpayers' money: Prison-billions can be spared through NICRO interventions (04/05/2022)
Betzi Pierce, CEO of NICRO
Around R1,63 billion is currently being spent to house inmates in our prisons, each year, with no improvement in the rate of crime to show for it. To help the situation, NICRO can offer tested interventions, rooted in restorative justice, at a cost of R6500 per person, per programme. There are between 140 000 and 150 000 inmates currently serving prison sentences in our prisons. Sustaining them costs the taxpayer R10 890 per inmate, per month, for the duration of their sentence.
Of the inmates in our prisons, there are three main categories: Those awaiting trial, due to the backlogs in our judicial system. Those who might have been eligible to be diverted or to serve a non-custodial sentence. And, of course, there are those prisoners who are guilty of crime, and due to their propensity to committing crime, simply do need to be imprisoned.
Differentiating between these categories is important if we want to have a real shot at reducing the rate of crime in our country: If we change the way we process less-serious offenders, who do not necessarily need to be housed in prison, we can cut down on the number of people we need to sustain.
Moreover; this will also help avoid exposure to the negative socialisation that happens in our prisons that produces hardened criminals.
Our prisons are universities of crime: Many of the minor, or less-serious offenders who have been imprisoned could have undergone an alternative intervention. But due to the lack of access to such interventions, they are sent to jail and are instead much more likely to become hardened criminals as a result. The fact that most prisoners re-offend when they are released is evidence that we have a better chance at reintegrating offenders, if they are not exposed to the negative socialisation that happens in our prisons, in the first place.
“Alternative interventions mean less risk for society upon the completion of the programme, as opposed to an increased risk of reoffending, upon release from prison” - CEO of NICRO, Betzi Pierce.
NICRO has two main interventions that can help address this issue, namely; diversion and non-custodial sentencing.
Mitigating factors can legitimately be taken into account when processing a case. In these instances, a person can justly be diverted, or be given a non-custodial sentence, rather than spending the months, and years in prison, at the cost of the taxpayer, only to leave there with a much higher likelihood of committing crime.
At NICRO, these programmes have their foundations in cognitive behavioural therapy. We offer counseling that addresses the root causes of criminal behaviour, to bring about a lasting change, where offenders are far less likely to commit crimes again.
We invite the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, and the Department of Correctional Services to partner with us, and widen these sustainable interventions to reduce the harmful impact of crime as well as the cost of imprisonment.
*Ends*
Smash and grab: NICRO welcomes the swift action taken by law enforcement (06/04/2022)
"We need to establish crime prevention partnerships that will prevent occurrences like this in the first place", says Betzi Pierce - CEO of NICRO. NICRO welcomes the swift action that was taken in the apprehension of the suspect following a smash and grab incident that took place on Jakes Gerwel Drive recently.
View video on IOL (warning: the CCTV footage may be disturbing to some viewers, as it shows acts of violence and injuries sustained).
The alarming incident is a sore reminder of the need for greater crime prevention initiatives that will stop these and other violent incidents from happening in the first place.
NICRO has proven crime prevention initiatives that reduce the prevalence and impact of crime. We invite government to call on us and become our partner in expanding these initiatives. Our community crime and violence prevention (CCVP) aims to prevent the occurrence of crime through community engagement and by raising awareness about the risk factors that lead to crime. Without identifying and addressing these risk factors, we won't turn the corner on crime. The negative influences that can cause people to get involved in crime include broken families, family violence, parental neglect, drug, and alcohol abuse, GBV, high unemployment, and poverty.
Our interventions are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals of no poverty, gender equality, and safe, inclusive, and sustainable communities, and are implemented to create communities that are resilient.
Additional information:
We help communities become engaged in actively addressing socio-economic challenges to reduce crime and violence. NICRO actively targets marginalized individuals like children, youth, women, former offenders and their families, schools, and community structures. We offer awareness campaigns, capacity-building initiatives in communities, and direct service delivery.
Ends
From convict to community counselor: ‘I can’t describe the wholeness it gives me’ (15/03/2022)
David Julius, a 43-year-old father of four from Piketberg in the Western Cape, was a victim of ongoing bullying that led him to a life of violence that eventually led him to prison, before turning his life around.
Describing a youth riddled with bullying, David recalled how his family tried to get help from the police to stop the abuse but that the intervention failed. The torment continued through high school until one day, enough was enough.
“I had learned that a very dear friend of mine was also being bullied. The fact that she was also going through it was enough for me.
“I decided to stand up for myself, so I beat my bully with a stick and I didn’t stop until I saw fear in him. That gave me a sense of satisfaction, a sense of power”.
This incident was the beginning of a life of violence that led David to gangsterism. In the years to come, he would use violence to exert power over people, despite having had numerous run-ins with the law.
Then, on 13 November 1998, David killed a man and was charged with murder, which was later changed to culpable homicide. In 2001, he went to Malmesbury prison, leaving behind his one-year-old son. It was while serving his sentence, isolated and alone, that David was introduced to NICRO.
“I learned is that I can resolve challenges without resorting to violence. I think God worked through NICRO to change me,” he said.
After going through the offender reintegration project with NICRO, and exhibiting a real behaviour change, David’s five-year sentence was reduced. He served 10 months in prison and was released on parole before receiving amnesty for his good behaviour.
“When I was released in 2002, I decided to never go back. It was a promise that I made to myself and to Mandi Jordaan*, the NICRO social worker who helped me change.
“When I returned to Piketberg, it was hard to win back the trust of the community.
“Knowing that I had been in prison, people thought that my marriage and my children wouldn’t make it. So, that motivated me to try harder and do better than even I thought was possible”, He said.
David began working with at-risk youths when he joined the Piketberg Performing Arts Community Group, along with the current Mayor of Piketberg, Raynold Van Rooy. That’s where he found a platform for his story. Using drama, he helped steer young people away from behaviour, that could lead them to break the law.
Eventually, David was invited to be trained as a volunteer facilitator for NICRO.
“We would focus on youth in conflict with the law, including children who committed any act of violence. We would engage with them and monitor them over eight weekly sessions.
“The parents were involved and I made sure that the children saw that I also faced what they face. That way, I won their trust.
“Over time, I was able to help parents guide their children to make positive changes”, David shared.
Of David’s time with the Piketberg Performing Arts Community Group, Mayor Van Rooy said that “David really made a success of it, he kept kids off the street. His input made an impact in the lives of the youth”, before going on to share how David impacted the mayor’s daughter for the better.
“My daughter was part of David’s youth group at church. After his class, there was a real change in her. She began getting more involved in church activities. It was because of David’s input, and I’m happy with the person she is because of it,” he said.
David’s story is one of hope and inspiration. It shows that people can change under the right circumstances, and grow towards becoming positive role models and constructive members of society.
Enquiries:
Anneke Burns
PR and Advocacy at NICRO
071 423 0079
Ex-volunteer endorses NICRO services (09/03/2022)
"Our communities need to know what to do in a criminal situation, and we need more information about crime prevention", Tracey Wyngaard.
In the late 1990's, Tracey Wyngaard had just finished her studies and was in search of an opportunity to gain work experience. "I was reading the Plainsman one day, looking for work, when I came across an opportunity to volunteer at NICRO," she shared of her introduction to the NGO.
She decided to get involved as a volunteer to gain work experience but what she observed left a lasting impression.
"We were working with the job creation center at the time. We were helping ex-offenders, who had been released from prison, to earn an income," she continued before sharing how her time at the center challenged her perspective.
"Meeting some of the ex-offenders, and learning about their background was quite an eye-opener. They weren't always what you would expect. These were often people who had come on hard times and were just in a desperate situation", she shared.
Tracey added that what stood out most at the time were the responses that she received when running the community workshops with NICRO. "The community outreach was especially impactful; seeing communities come out to support the initiative, and to engage with us was inspiring.
"People would come up to us as volunteers after we hosted a workshop, wanting to get involved", she continued.
Today, as she looks back on her time with NICRO, Tracey would like to see more people become involved in the organisation.
"More people need to know what NICRO is and what the organization does," she added. Tracey Wyngaard endorses NICRO as an organisation that renders real impact in crime prevention and offender reintegration.
*Ends*
Repeat offender rapes, murders 8-year-old: NICRO calls on Correctional Services to partner (22/02/2022)
The story of 55-year-old Jakobus Petroos receiving two life sentences for the rape and murder of young Reagan Gertse, while out on parole for a similar offense, is an indication that the Correctional Services system is broken.
I have written to the Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services, to request a meeting to discuss how NICRO can assist the department of correctional services to reduce the high recidivism rate among ex-offenders.
Currently, the system of parole seems to be putting communities at risk as offenders who are released from prison are very likely to commit the same offenses or worse. Instead of reintegrating offenders, prisons act more like 'universities of crime', hardening offenders due to the negative socialisation that takes place within those walls.
NICRO has a 111-year long history in the crime prevention and offender reintegration arena, which began with work in prisons. We have a proven track record of bringing about a change in behaviour on the part of offenders as our programmes are rooted in cognitive behavioural therapy, which addresses the underlying factors that lead people to commit crime.
Over the years we have found that most people can change, but unfortunately there are exceptions, like Mr. Petroos, and for people like this we have to have systems (and prisons) that work to protect society.
With that said, many offenders might have been successfully reintegrated, if they would have had access to our services. Instead, they unfortunately tend to become hardened criminals while in prison and exhibit the same behaviour when they are released.
NICRO has a record of impact in this area and we are willing to work with government to reduce recidivism rates, given adequate support.
Betzi Pierce
CEO of NICRO
16 days: Nationwide Action Campaign (25/11/2021)
25 November 2021
Today, NICRO will kick off a nationwide action campaign of GBV awareness and intervention, to mark the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence (GBV). We will host events and programs as outlined below, to educate our communities about GBV, and the lasting wounds that it leaves. Our goal is to lower the level of tolerance of GBV at community level, as well as to break the cycle of violence.
"Working with perpetrators is key to preventing GBV, says Betzi Pierce, NICRO CEO. "The solution to intimate partner violence is in working with perpetrators to change the root of their behaviour, through intensive therapeutic intervention. This is the only way to break the cycle of violence," she elaborated.
Although NICRO works with offenders, we cannot neglect the victims. Victims of GBV are left with scars and need healing. Yet, we often find that we repeat-victimise* them either intentionally, through victim shaming, or unintentionally, through the lack of sensitivity training on the part of the SAPS in dealing with their cases. These factors may deter victims from reporting incidents of GBV. It may also mean that the statistics on GBV don't reflect the true extent of the scourge, due to the low levels of reporting. Lack of reporting means lack of intervention. Ultimately, the ones perpetrating the violence don't get the help they need to stop. Over the last year, just 10.2% of our clients went through our 'perpetrators of intimate violence' programme, which may be pointing to the low reporting rates of GBV and domestic violence. If we want to stop GBV, the solution lies in changing behaviour on the part of offenders and diminishing tolerance for abuse in our communities. Only by doing this can we take meaningful steps towards ending GBV and creating a safe South Africa.
Here is a list of just some of the events to be hosted:
- 26/11/2021 - Community engagement with 200 community members in Golden Gardens (Sebokeng) on NICRO services, domestic violence , and Covid-19 protocol [Vaal]
- 29 & 30/11/2021 GBV Workshop with Parolees in Goodwood, Bellville, Bishop Lavis, as well as Kraaifontein, Durbanville, and Delft respectively
- 04/12/ 2021- Community engagement with 300 community members in Mooiplaas, along with Khuluma, Ditshego-House of Laughter, SAPS and NICRO, focusing on parenting adolescents with behavioural challenges [Khumula]
- 10/12/2021- Community engagement with 200 community members in Bophelong on the services that NICRO offers, domestic violence, and Covid-19 protocol [Vaal]
- 09/12/21 Raising awareness on GBV at Bishop Lavis Day Hospital
- 10/12/21 Awareness event: Youth Dialogue Centre of Excellence on the dangers of ‘date-rape’
Enquiries:
Betzi Pierce: Chief Executive Officer at NICRO - 084 810 5154
Anneke Burns: PR and Advocacy at NICRO - 071 423 0079
Q2 Crime Stats: 'We Can Help' says CEO (22/11/2021)
22 November 2021
"The situation is critical; we simply cannot let things go on as is." - Betzi Pierce
NICRO can help government make a meaningful impact in the reduction of crime rates and will write to the National Minister of Police requesting an opportunity to engage on how our interventions can make a change for the better. 9 556 rapes happened between July and September this year, up from 8 922, while 6 163 murders took place, an increase of 1 056 from last year. Among the victims of murder were 897 women and 287 children, with the murder of children up by a shocking 31.7%. This is according to news reports on the statistics that were released today.
"The situation is critical, we simply cannot let things go on as is, said Betzi Pierce, CEO of NICRO. "Organisations like NICRO are ready and willing to extend the reach of government in the fight against crime but we call on government to support our capacity to do so", she added.
NICRO's work addresses the root causes of crime at a community and societal level to prevent the occurrence of crime and violence. Our interventions facilitate a behaviour change among at-risk individuals and individuals who are in conflict with the law. We also offer treatment, mitigate harm and assist with the reintegration of ex-offenders, to counteract and eliminate issues resulting from the offence.
"The rate of repeat offences is at around 90% in South Africa. If we don't help offenders change, we will not be able to stop crime," Betzi added.
NICRO and organisations like it can make a difference in the fight against crime. We are ready to assist government as the lives of ordinary South Africans depend on it.
*Ends*
Enquiries:
Betzi Pierce
Chief Executive Officer at NICRO
084 810 5154
Anneke Burns
PR and Advocacy at NICRO
071 423 0079
Annual General Meeting 13th November 2021 Invitation
Date: 02/11/2021
The NICRO Board of Directors hereby gives notice of the NICRO Annual General Meeting (AGM), which will be held on Saturday, 13 November 2021 from 10h00 to 11h00.
In the light of the COVID-19 situation and to prevent the spread of the virus a virtual meeting will be held.
a) No member will be able to attend the Annual General Meeting in person.
b) Members may submit questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. All questions must be submitted at least five days prior to the AGM.
c) All substantial and relevant questions will be addressed by the Board and/or management prior to or at, the Annual General Meeting.
To participate kindly email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and details of the link will be sent to you.
Lois Elizabeth Hardy
Chairperson: Board of Directors
NICRO Partners for Change in Bishop Lavis (25/10/2021)
Date: 25 October 2021
Immediate release
The Bishop Lavis Changemakers, in collaboration with NICRO, hosted a Youth Development Fun Day on the 23rd of October 2021 at Roome Park Bishop Lavis, Roome Crescent. The event was aimed at addressing the issues affecting our youth and families in the community.
"The goal was to bring families together, to engage in activities, as well as to raise awareness among community members about the organisations that exist and are rendering services within the community.
"We expected around 270 children to join us but ended up receiving close to 300 little guests on the day, along with 80 volunteers who turned out to support the event," said Dori-Anne Erasmus, a Social Worker at NICRO who facilitated the event along with the NICRO Changemakers.
A live band engaged and entertained the community and there were fun activities for the children such as face-painting. There were also talks on more serious issues like domestic violence, gender-based violence, mental health awareness, as well as Covid-19 regulations.
We are thankful for the support of the many organisations who are a part of our Changemakers network, that contributed to this initiative, to help in our efforts around crime prevention and awareness. These include NICRO, BADISA, Usapho foundation, the Healing Heart Foundation, Beacon of Hope, Dogmathree, the Center of Excellence, Women 2 Women, Touching Nations, the Community Policing Forum, the local South African Police Service, Law Enforcement, and our Neighbourhood Watch.
The Changemakers who contributed to this event have also been active in the community in various other ways like giving little boys haircuts, assisting single moms and by ensuring that community is maintained by something as simple as getting the grass cut on a field so that the children can play soccer on it. This initiative aimed to embody the core values of NICRO, which includes striving for excellence, collaboration and being passionate about assisting those who need us most. We hope to have many more events like this in future, aimed at young kids to instill sound values in them and help them grow into the best version of themselves. We also aim to expand on our network of partnerships to reach as many people as we can.
Additional information:
Our donors include Donny's bakery Brockenhorst Farm, the local supermarkets such as Green Market in Bishop Lavis, Shada Butchery, friends of the Park CoCT ensured we got the park and some games and balls, and the ward Councillor also made donations in support of the event. A special thanks to the Center of Excellence for allowing us the use of their facilities
Elton Minto Was on a Path to Prison: NICRO Saved my Life (18/10/2021)
Press Release by: Betzi Pierce, CEO of NICRO
Date: 18 October 2021
Release: Immediate
Elton Vincent Minto, 39, found himself on the wrong side of the law after committing a crime that was set to destroy his future.
“In 2002 I was using mandrax and alcohol to cope after I made a girl pregnant. I was a top student but I lost my bursary because of the pregnancy. It was as though my whole life was shattered,” said Elton.
After a night of drinking at a tavern, Elton took the keys to his brother’s work vehicle without consent. He ended up wrecking the vehicle in an accident, while under the influence of alcohol. Things took a turn for the worse when both his brother and the company he worked for, laid charges of vehicle theft against Elton.
“I feared prison. Having grown up in a gang-ridden violent area, in Arcadia, in Bethelsdorp, Gqeberha [I always heard people say ‘tronk is nie jou ma se huis nie’.] I knew that if you went to prison, you would be sodomised,” Elton said.
At court in Gelvendale, Elton was referred to NICRO for diversion, instead of being sentenced to incarceration.
Diversion refers to diverting a person accused of committing a crime away from formal court procedures towards a more constructive and positive solution. The aim is to give offenders accused of less serious, non-violent crimes a second chance to address the root causes of the criminal behaviour through an appropriate diversion programme or intervention.
“It gives the court more options to address the criminogenic needs of offenders, to change their behaviour and reduce the risk of the re-offending. Diversion will not be considered if the interests of the criminal justice system, and society, are better served by prosecution and conviction” said Betzi Pierce, CEO of NICRO.
“We worked through what caused me to make those bad choices. We also had group sessions where our socio-economic problems were discussed” Elton said. After attending the diversion service with NICRO for six months, Elton had to appear in court where all charges were withdrawn, as a result, he has no criminal record.
In 2008, Elton began working for Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMB) as a lab attendant. Two years later he was elected as shop steward. Today, he remains active in addressing the issues that his community faces and have been published in the Herald newspaper for his activism.
“I’ve met with MMC Annette Lovemore, to discuss community issues, and I’ve engaged with many other political leaders in the NMB Municipality”, said Elton. Most importantly, he was able to raise his son and take care of his family.
“I feel that first-time offenders need guidance and this type of intervention. I do not know what would have happened to me or my family if I went to prison. NICRO saved my life,” Elton said.
*Ends*
111 Years of Unprecedented Accomplishments (10/09/2021)
Date: 10 September 2021
Release: Immediate
NICRO commemorates a 111 year-long legacy in South Africa this week. As part of our 111th birthday celebration, our teams across South Africa took to their communities and spent 111 minutes in service of others in need (images attached).
“This is our way of celebrating and remembering our long history and unparalleled contributions to human rights, juvenile justice, criminal justice reform, and social crime prevention,” said Betzi Pierce, CEO of NICRO.
“In the years to come, we will continue to dedicate ourselves to equipping those we serve to embrace positive, healthy, and sustainable lifestyles as an alternative to anti-social, risky behaviour, crime, and violence.
“Over the years we have conducted research, taken heed of best practice, learned many lessons, and finetuned our approach and interventions to fight crime in the best way possible”, she added.
NICRO calls upon every South African community to stand alongside us and help lead the way to ending crime by:
- Ensuring the protection of all children and vulnerable individuals
- Promoting and supporting healthy, functional family structures
- Becoming involved and encouraging every friend and neighbour to watch out for other community members, help keep them safe, preventing crime and violence where possible, detecting and reporting all forms of crime and violence
- Keeping our schools safe where our children can grow, learn and flourish in safety, and
- Standing together to take back our streets, our parks and our public spaces so that our children, young girls and women can enjoy a safe, protected environment.
We thank our communities for their steadfast belief in us. NICRO cannot change the face of crime alone but united we can only succeed.
Photos
ABOVE: Atlantis office donating to a local care home
ABOVE: Cape Town office doing a beach clean-up
ABOVE: Bushbuckridge hosted 22 stakeholders informing of new NICRO services.
ABOVE: East London Staff
ABOVE: Germiston office crime prevention awareness talk at Dinwiddie Secondary School - 138 Beneficiaries reached
ABOVE: Limpopo Office staff
ABOVE: Nelspruit staff celebrations
ABOVE: Elukwatini staff celebrations
Blog
Women’s Month 2021: We are here to make a difference
4 August 2021
As we enter Women’s Month 2021, it is hard to deny that the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) seems to have worsened since 2020. The occurrence of GBV was intensified by lockdowns, which has left victims with little refuge as they are confined to the same living space as the offender.
That, along with the harsher economic climate, which is owed to the pandemic, has compounded the problem. In doing our part in the effort against GBV, we provide interventionist mechanisms in which we work with offenders, victims, and their families to heal from and prevent further incidents of GBV.
We also provide outreach services, where we work with broader communities to raise awareness while undoing the acceptability of GBV. Our view is that the less accepting our broader social structures are of GBV, the less likely we are to see it occur.
We are here to make a difference and we welcome anyone who wants to support us in making South Africa safe. For the last 111 years, NICRO has been working at the forefront of crime prevention in South Africa. Our goal is to bring about a crime-free society.
By Betzi Pierce, CEO of NICRO
Podcasts
Talking Tech for Good Episode 2 – Learner Management Systems
August 2021
In this second episode of the Talking Tech for Good podcast, Luvuyo Maseko and Jason Bygate, delve into this topic in more detail. Luvuyo and Jason are joined by Simone Peinke from Jobstarter and Regan Jules-Macquet from Nicro – two social benefit organisations that have implemented eLearing more extensively in the last year...
