The Safer South Africa Foundation (SSAF) prioritises research and advocacy to tackle crime prevention in schools and communities, recognising crime’s negative impact on economic development, social cohesion, and well-being. Commissioned by the Police Prison and Civil Rights Union, the Institute for Community Safety and Criminal Justice (ICSCJ) established a research platform to study crime trends, victimisation, and delinquency factors. Using ethnographic methods - observation and interviews - in areas where SSAF’s Communities and Justice Programme (CJP) operates, the research combines qualitative insights with quantitative data from surveys like the South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS).

Initial ethnographic studies in selected schools and communities have begun, with findings guiding pre-intervention focus groups and evaluating SSAF initiatives. Through partnerships with experts and stakeholders, SSAF aims to drive evidence-based, sustainable crime prevention solutions and transformative change in South Africa.