Enhancing Resilience through Emotional Intelligence in Religious Communities for Crime Prevention Post-COVID-19

Authors

  • Lemon Madoda Phiri Tshwane University of Technology
  • Adewale A. Olutola Tshwane University of Technology
  • Jacob Tseko Mofokeng Tshwane University of Technology http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5123-0234

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15575/kt.v5i3.24699

Keywords:

Crime, covid-19, emotional intelligence (EI), religious community

Abstract

The aftermath of COVID-19 has wrought significant emotional distress, exacerbating the incidence of emotionally motivated crimes, particularly within families. This phenomenon presents a substantial challenge to the South African Police Service (SAPS), especially due to the private nature of these crimes. In response, this study investigates whether the religious community in the Mamelodi policing area can leverage emotional intelligence (EI) to foster resilience and aid in crime prevention. We employed a quantitative approach, utilizing non-probability sampling to survey 104 adult Christians in Mamelodi. Participants provided informed consent. The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF) was used for assessment, covering four EI variables: emotionality, self-control, sociability, and well-being. The findings reveal a high level of EI, with scores of 74.06% for emotionality, 68.41% for self-control, 59.26% for sociability, and an impressive 86.84% for well-being, culminating in an overall EI score of 72.14%. These results suggest that Mamelodi's churches are effective community-based entities capable of collaborating with SAPS to prevent emotionally driven crimes, through resilience-building rooted in EI competencies. This research contributes to the South African academic discourse by intersecting psychology, policing, and community studies, particularly focusing on a township population often living below the poverty line and with limited EI awareness.

Author Biography

Jacob Tseko Mofokeng, Tshwane University of Technology

Jacob Tseko Mofokeng, is the Full Professor at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT)’s Department of Safety and Security Management. He holds African Research Chair for Campus and School Public Safety portfolio. The African Research Chair for Public Safety in institutions of learning contributes extensively towards focused research to find knowledge-based innovative solutions that stem the tide of school/campus crimes and violence on the African continent. Prof Mofokeng holds a Doctor Technologiae: Policing as well as Baccalaureus Technologiae: Business Information System from TUT, a National Diploma and National Higher Diploma: Policing with Technikon SA. He is member of the Council of the Criminological and Victimological Society of Southern Africa (CRIMSA). He has extensive teaching experience in Criminal Investigation at undergraduate level. He has successfully supervised and co-supervised eight doctoral students and 45 master’s students. Before joining TUT, he was a functional member of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Detective Service for ten years. He was also Unit Commander for three years.

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Published

2023-12-30

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 3 (2023): Khazanah Theologia

Section

Articles

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