Transformation and Trouble: Crime, Justice and Participation in Democratic South Africa

Crime is one of the major challenges to any new democracy. Violenceoften increases after the lifting of authoritarian control, or in theaftermath of regime change. But how can a fledgling democracy fightcrime without violating the fragile rights of its citizens? InTransformation and Trouble, accomplished theorist and criminaljustice scholar Diana Gordon critically examines South Africa's effortsto strike the perilous balance between democratic participation andsocial control. Although she finds that South Africa has made greatprogress in pursuing the Western ideals of participatory justice anddue process, popular concerns about crime have fostered the growth ofa punitive criminal justice system that undermines the country'srights-oriented political culture.