Department of Police Practice

Prof BC Benson

College of Law
School of Criminal Justice
Department: Police Practice
Professor
Tel: 012 433 9412
E-mail: bensobc@unisa.ac.za

Qualifications

  • DLitt et Phil: Police Science (UNISA)
  • MTech: Policing (Cum laude) (Tshwane University of Technology)
  • BTech: Policing (Cum laude) (Pretoria Technikon)

Currently teaching

  • FOR1502
  • FOR3701
  • FOR5907
  • Supervision of Masters and Doctoral students

Fields of academic interests

  • Cultural heritage
  • Heritage crime
  • Crime investigation
  • Pedagogies and strategies in ODL and ODeL
  • 4IR in Policing and Higher Education

Field of Specialisation

  • Cultural heritage
  • Heritage crime 
  • Crime investigation

Books

  • Benson, B.C and Fouche, H. 2014. A South African study on the Interface between the Legal and Illegal Trade in Heritage Items (in  HERITAGE CRIME: PROGRESS, PROSPECTS AND PREVENTION. Published by Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN: 9781137357502)
  • Benson, B.C.,Jones, G and Horne, J. 2015. Forensic Investigation of crime, irregularities and transgressions (in FORENSIC INVESTIGATION: LEGISLATIVE PRINCIPLES AND SCIENTIFIC PRACTICE. Published by JUTA Law, ISBN: 9780702186479)

Journal articles

  • Benson, B.C. 2008. Analysing police corruption and its possible causes. RIMSA special edition 3.
  • Benson, B.C. 2010. The illicit trade in heritage objects: Fact or fiction? CRIMSA special edition (1).
  • Benson, B.C. 2010. Police corruption: a perceptual state of confusion? Acta Academica 42(1)
  • Benson, B.C and ... 2010. The significance of the crime scene in child rape cases. CARSA 11(1).
  • Benson, B.C. 2011. Heritage crime: the illegitimate sibling of the South African crime family. Acta Criminologica 24(1).
  • Benson, B.C and Horne, J. 2011. The value of evidence found at the scene of child rape cases. CARSA 12(1).
  • Benson, B.C., Horne, J. and Lochner, H. 2012. Making the invisible visible: the presentation of electronic (cell phone) evidence as real evidence in a court of law. Acta Criminologica 25(2).
  • Benson, B.C and Prinsloo, J. 2013.Thefts from museums and galleries in Gauteng: the value of accurate crime reporting. Acta Criminologica 26 (1).
  • Benson, B.C and Prinsloo, J. 2013. A perspective on the interpretation of cultural heritage in post-apartheid South Africa. South African Museaums Association Bulletin 36.
  • Benson, B.C and Roodt, C. 2015. Databases for stolen art: progress, prospects and limitations. SA Crime Quartelry 52. 
  • Benson, B.C, Van der Watt and Labuschagne, G. 2015. From stranger to serial: (re)emphasising the value of docket analysis as linkage tool in serial rape identification. Acta Criminologica 28(2). 
  • Benson, B.C. 2016. The Second Hand Goods Act as [In]capable guardian of cultural heritage objects. South African Museums Association Bulletins, 38.
  • Benson, B.C. 2020. The use of Routine Activities Theory on policing informal settlements in Global South. South African Geographical Journal 101(3) doi.org/10.1080/03736245.2020.1835702

Professional positions, fellowships & awards

Professional positions

  • Editor-in-Chief: SAMAB
  • Council member South African Museums Associations
  • Member of the Policing Association of South Africa (POLSA)
  • Member of the International Police Association (IPA)

Awards

  • Winner of the Women in research: Developing Researcher award, 2012
  • Recipient of Excellence in Tuition and Teaching: Student support award, 2016

 

Projects

  • Member of Think Tank- Evidence Based Policing initiative