ADVICE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME I am sure that Dr Rudolph Zinn of Unisa’s department of criminal and forensic investigations means well, but I can’t shake the feeling that he is advising me on how to make the criminal’s task easier. Zinn advises crime victims to beg for their lives and tell robbers to take everything, in which case their lives might be spared. We are also not encouraged to look too closely at the criminals, or – god forbid – make eye contact.

Criminals apparently don’t like making eye contact with their victims and it was seen as a good sign if victims begged for their lives and followed orders.

This advice was based on interviews with 30 convicted house robbers in Gauteng prisons.

According to the criminals who participated in the study, victims' lives would be spared if they remained calm, didn't fight back, kept their hands visible, maintained their original position and only spoke when asked a question.

 

If I am only supposed to speak when asked a question, will the criminal actually ask me ‘Would you now like to beg for your life?’

The scary part is that the youngest hijacker Zinn spoke to was 9 years old, and the youngest hijacker who had shot and killed his victim, was 13.

Just as scary is the fact that the study showed that 17% of security guards and 17% of police officers were involved in house robberies.

I’m with Bheki Cele on this one.
Quote ‘You can't be nice to criminals; you can't be running around kissing crime, because you are dealing with tough guys.’ Unquote.

Shoot to kill, incarcerate all survivors in dank dungeons and throw away the key.

Kader Khan
Editor
info@yummie.co.za