Sampling Procedures

For the purpose of this study and the empirical component of the research, the sample

technique takes mainly the form of a non-probability approach. This is mainly due to the fact that most participants in this research have been carefully invited to take part; hence, they were not randomly selected. The reason for choosing this type of sampling was mostly due to the nature and complexities involved in the research topic; therefore, the participants had to be selected accordingly. As the researcher‟s initial approach was to pursue the police response to DV, it became evident that the police had to be a part of the research in one way or another.

The choice of focusing particularly on the mentioned police stations was predominantly based on two issues: Firstly, the participants had to be physically and geographically within the reach of the researcher; and secondly, the researcher had to include enough participants to yield data worth mentioning.

As the study could be, partly, referred to as an exploratory qualitative research, the type of sampling technique chosen in this research could further be described as a form of

convenience sampling. This is explained by the fact that this type of non-probability approach focuses on what is practically solvable and convenient for the researcher (Biggam 2011:134).

However, a convenience-sampling approach does not necessarily yield representative research findings (Biggam 2011:134). It is not exclusively the case in this particular research. The reason for this is that the SAPS as an organisation follows a given procedure nationwide; and therefore, each and every individual station should include the same type of response to every type of crime. Nonetheless, it is recognised that the individual police officer may have

individual opinions and perceptions of this response, and therefore, prove a little insufficient in terms of a representative research on a larger scale.

Having a total of three different stations taking part in this study, serving three different communities of different social, economic and cultural makeups, contributes to the idea that the findings from these various stations would, collectively, represent the beliefs, opinions,

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and perceptions, as well as the physical layouts of police stations in other areas. If not

representative of the entire country, then it would be at least representative of those within the borders of the Eastern Cape.

However, the larger group of the sample, comprising 28 full-time police officers, was drawn from those who completed the survey questionnaire. Nonetheless, the total sample of

questionnaires initially distributed by the researcher was 90. The sample from the semi-structured interviews, on the other hand, comprised four full-time police managers,

predominantly from the various VCSs at the individual police stations. Moreover, three other practitioners in the field of conflict management and DV were interviewed, two

mediators/conflict managers, and one supervisor from the largest crisis centre for abused women in Port Elizabeth.

In other words, a total of 101 participants were initially invited to participate in this study; and a sample of 34 participants completed the process.

The questionnaire was made up of 30 questions: a combination of open and closed-ended questions, and focused on the police officers‟ level of training, understanding and perception of their roles and duties in their response to DV, as well as their understanding of the

phenomenon of DV and mediation. The questionnaires were divided into four sections:

general information, DV, the individual police station, and mediation.

The interviews focused primarily on the findings from the questionnaire; and they provided a better understanding of the situation and system where the police officers work. In addition to managers from the various police stations, other practitioners in the field also provided valuable insight into the nature and complexities of the problem in SA, and therefore helped explain some of the challenges the police are faced with when dealing with these cases.

The following table illustrates the different dates when invitations were sent, permission received, questionnaires distributed and collected, and interviews conducted:

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05.12 05.12 07/18/27.06.12 18/27/28.06/

12.07.12

As illustrated, the questionnaires from Humewood police stations were never completed;

hence, an interview at that particular station was not conducted. The same problem was experienced with NICRO and FAMSA. As a result, a further analysis of the particular police station‟s response to DV, and the involvement and contribution of the two institutions, was impossible to carry out. This is also illustrated in the model below of all the distributed and collected questionnaires:

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Moreover, the following table illustrates the particulars of the interviewed participants of this study; 28 police officers from the questionnaires, including the representation of the three police stations: Kabega Park, Mount Road and Walmer:

Table 6

NO GENDER AGE LANGUAGE POSITION YEARS IN SAPS

1 Male 20-30 Afrikaans Community/ Sector policing 1-5

2 Female 31-40 IsiXhosa Community/ Sector policing 1-5

3 Male 31-40 IsiXhosa Community/ Sector policing 6-10

4 Female 31-40 Afrikaans Administration More than 15

5 Female 20-30 English Crime Prevention 6-10

6 Female 31-40 IsiXhosa Community/ Sector policing 6-10

7 Male 31-40 English Crime Prevention 6-10

8 Female 31-40 IsiXhosa Administration 6-10

9 Female 31-40 English Administration 1-5

10 Male 41-50 Afrikaans Crime Prevention More than 15

11 Female 20-30 Afrikaans Crime Prevention 6-10

12 Female 31-40 IsiXhosa Community/ Sector policing More than 15 13 Male 41-50 Afrikaans/ English Community/ Sector policing More than 15

14 Male 31-40 Afrikaans Community/ Sector policing More than 15

15 Male 31-40 IsiXhosa Community/ Sector policing Less than 1

16 Male 41-50 Afrikaans Exhibit Management More than 15

17 Male 41-50 English Community/ Sector policing More than 15

18 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

19 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

20 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

21 Female 20-30 English Crime Prevention 1-5

22 Male 31-40 English Community/ Sector policing 6-10

23 Male 41-50 Afrikaans/ English Crime Prevention More than 15

24 Female 41-50 Afrikaans Victim Support Centre More than 15

25 Male 20-30 Afrikaans Community/ Sector policing 1-5

26 Male 41-50 Afrikaans Community/ Sector policing More than 15

27 Male 41-50 Afrikaans Crime Prevention More than 15

28 Male 41-50 Afrikaans Community/ Sector policing More than 15

29 Female 35 Xhosa Constable N/A

30 Female 59 Xhosa Warrant Officer N/A

31 Female 43 Afrikaans Warrant Officer N/A

32 Female 63 English Senior Supervisor Crisis

Centre

N/A

33 Male 60 English Social Worker/ Mediator N/A

34 Female 38 English Chief Director: Performance

Monitoring and Evaluation

N/A

What becomes particularly evident from the presentation is the lack of any information on respondents 18, 19 and 20. This is due to the fact that these particular sections of the

questionnaire were left unanswered by the participants themselves. Moreover, this particular list serves as the reference point in all of the tables created in this study, and is included in the

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first column of all tables and thematic charts developed. In this column, each of the respondents has been given an individual reference number, which follows that particular respondent throughout the research report. This enables the researcher to maintain the raw data in an organised and systematic way without necessarily having to go back to the original transcripts, in order to find the data. Quotes are organised and referenced in terms of the participants‟ reference numbers; but due to the systematic way in which the questionnaires were organised, any further details with regard to specific page numbers have not been given.

The interviews, however, are of much greater detail and include far more pages of transcripts than each of the questionnaires, and will, therefore, include a page reference.

These elements will, nonetheless, be further described in the following chapter when discussing the procedures of data management and method of analysis.

Moreover, as shown, the various police stations and the group of individuals from the semi-structured interviews were divided by bold black lines.However, any further details about which of the three police stations the participants belonged to – or any direct connection to the exact location of the interviewees – were not mentioned, particularly due to the sensitivity of the topic and the protection of their identities. That was also the reason why no detailed comparison was made between the three different police stations.