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Title:
Multilateral Policing in Africa: its Nature and Socio-Political Impact in Uganda and Sierra Leone, 2003-2005

Subject Categories:
Crime and law enforcement - Law, crime and legal systems

Depositor(s):
Baker, B., Coventry University. Coventry Business School

Principal Investigator(s):
Baker, B., Coventry University. Coventry Business School

Sponsor(s):
Economic and Social Research Council
Coventry University

Grant Number:
R000271293

Other Acknowledgements:
Research assistant in Uganda: Mr. Kintu Nyago, Makerere University, Kampala.
Research assistant in Sierra Leone: Mr. Amadu Sidi Bah, Campaign for Good Governance, Freetown.

Abstract:
Policing in Africa is not a monopoly of government, but is currently undertaken by a number of formal and informal agencies other than the state police. This research project sought to make a detailed and comparative study of all forms of policing in Uganda and Sierra Leone and to establish the current scale and nature of the various forms of policing in the two countries, and why non-state policing is being used.

The research documented attitudes to policing in Uganda and Sierra Leone and the degree of multilateral policing in the two countries. In particular it examined who was delivering policing, who was responsible for policing, how many non-state providers of policing existed, what these providers did, and whom they served. Also examined was change in the nature and scope of public policing, whether public police defined their responsibilities differently than in the past, how state and non-state policing agents interact in the field, and whether they plan together, co-ordinate operations, or exchange information. With respect to the commercial security industry, information on how many companies existed was gathered, and how many people they employed.

This data collection includes extracts from interviews with key stakeholders, including those who authorise policing, those who provide it and those who use it.

A later qualitative study by the same principal investigator, Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Police Local Partnership Boards in Sierra Leone, 2006, is held at the UK Data Archive under SN 5751. Further information about these studies and other research projects on African policing may be found on the principal investigator's Welcome to African Policing web site.


Main Topics:
The topics covered in the interviews are concerned with policing, its nature and provision, and the use of policing made by different groups and individuals interviewed. Users should note that the transcripts are extracts, not full interviews, and in some cases are very brief.

Uganda:
Individual interviewees: eight senior officers of the Uganda Police Force (UPF); six Crime Prevention Panel members; five commercial security company managers; four work-based security association officers; four other state authority officers concerned with internal security; seven local council officers; 38 Kampala shopkeepers; four Matugga shopkeepers; three Busaabala fishermen; four key administrative, commercial and non-governmental organisation (NGO) figures.

Focus groups were conducted with the following respondents: six members of the Matugga Crime Prevention Panel; 35 women of the Matugga Market Traders Association; eight male local council executive members and other village leaders, Busaabala; 20 women, Busaabala.

Sierra Leone:
Individual interviewees: Minister of Interior; nine senior officers of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP); one Police Partnership Board member; four commercial security company managers; 13 work-based security association officers; two beach wardens; one 'native authority' police officer; four youth leaders; six village/town chiefs; three women's leaders; two other state authority personnel concerned with internal security; three local council officers; five tradespersons; two Commonwealth Safety and Security Programme advisors; nine key administrative, commercial, NGO and aid donor figures.

Focus groups were conducted with the following respondents: three youth groups; two groups of villagers and one group of four townsmen.

Coverage:
Dates of Fieldwork: Uganda: January-March 2003; Sierra Leone: January-March 2005
Country: Sierra Leone; Uganda
Spatial Units: Not applicable
Observation Units: Individuals
Kind of Data: Textual data; Individual (micro) level; Interview extracts; focus group transcript extracts

Universe Sampled:
Location of Units of Observation:National
Population:Representatives of policing and other organisations, and other persons, resident in Uganda during 2003 and Sierra Leone during 2005. Exact details of respondents may be found in the Data List (see 'Documentation' table below).

Methodology:
Time Dimensions: Cross-sectional (one-time) study
Sampling Procedures: No sampling (total universe)
Number of Units: 146 interview transcripts (extracts)
Method of Data Collection: Face-to-face interview; Focus group
Weighting: Not applicable

Language(s) of Written Materials:
Study Description: English
Study Documentation: English

Access:
Access Conditions: The depositor has specified that registration is required and standard conditions of use apply. The depositor may be informed about usage. See terms and conditions for further information.
Availability: ESDS Qualidata, UK Data Archive
Contact: Help desk: qualidata@esds.ac.uk

Date of Release:
First Edition: 5 June 2006

Copyright:
Copyright B. Baker

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