Kristen Petersen

Kristen Petersen joined ACJR in July 2015 as a Researcher. She is an admitted attorney and holds a Masters degree in Human Rights Law. Kristen has been working in the human rights and criminal justice sector since 2012. She previously worked in the legal services department of the South African Human Rights Commission and at the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services where she reported on the treatment of inmates and their conditions of detention. Her experience and area of work are on a wide range of criminal justice and human rights issues such as pre-trial justice, prisoners’ rights, policing, torture prevention and oversight and prison reform. She is actively involved in the Detention Justice Forum in South Africa and the regional campaign on the Decriminalisation and Declassification of Petty Offences in Africa. 

RECENT PUBLICATIONS:

• Muntingh, L. M. & Petersen, K. (2015) Report on survey of children in correctional centres in South Africa, CSPRI and JICS Research Report.
•  Muntingh, L. and Petersen, K. (2015) Punished for being Poor: Evidence and Arguments for the Decriminalisation and Declassification of Petty Offences, Bellville: ACJR Research Report.
•  Petersen, K (2016) A Comparative Study of Bail Legislation in Malawi, Mozambique and Burundi, Bellville: ACJR.
•  Muntingh, L., Redpath, J. & Petersen, K. (2017) An Assessment of the National Prosecuting Authority - A Controversial Past and Recommendations for the Future, Bellville: ACJR.
•  Petersen K, Mahomed S, Muntingh L & Lorizzo T (2018) Solitary Confinement - A review of the legal framework and practice in five African countries, Bellville: ACJR.
•  Muntingh L with Redpath J, Faull, A. and Petersen K. (2018) Report on the state of democratic policing in South Africa, Commissioned by the Civilian Secretariat for Police Services.

 NETWORKS:

• Detention Justice Forum http://detentionjusticeforum.org.za/
•  Decriminalisation and declassification of petty offences in Africa https://pettyoffences.org/our-campaign/
•  Decriminalisation of Petty By-Laws Campaign (South Africa)