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The latest official crime statistics, for the financial year 2003/04, are encouraging because they show a decrease in levels of most serious crimes, including murder, car hijacking, burglary and farm attacks. But the good news has yet to hit home for many South Africans. In fact, most people are more afraid of crime today than they were in 1998. Anton du Plessis and Antoinette Louw discuss the general sentiments on crime statistics.

Katherine Doolan considers the role that the health sector could play in the Domestic Violence Act. Although amending the Act would be ideal, alternatives include standardising domestic violence screening guidelines and developing an abuse management protocol for the effective implementation of the DVA. In this way, the health sector can make a significant contribution to reducing levels of domestic violence.

Those monitoring the Domestic Violence Act generally conclude that it is poorly understood and badly implemented by officials in the criminal justice system. But a project aimed at understanding how ordinary cops police South Africa`s streets concludes that part of the problem with this conclusion is a failure to grasp the real limitations - legal, logistical and emotional - under which policing operates. Antony Altbeker investigates `The enthusiasm gap`.

Kelley Moult discusses Informal justice structures are used by many women for dealing with domestic violence. Their services more closely meet the needs of women than the criminal justice system, in terms of the immediacy with which they resolve problems, their focus on mediation and resolution rather than arrest and punishment, and their affordability.

On 1 January 2005 government launched the largest ever firearms amnesty. By 31 March 50,233 firearms had been surrendered. Due to public demand, the amnesty was extended to 30 June. Adele Kirsten assesses the impact of the first three months of the amnesty.