Associate Professor Irvin Kinnes

Irvin Kinnes is an Associate Professor of Criminology at the University of Cape Town. Until recently, he was the Content Adviser for the Portfolio Committee on Police in Parliament.

Irvin holds a HDE from UWC, a MSc. in Criminology from the London School of Economics and a PhD in Criminology from UCT. His work focusses on policing, gang governance, organised violence, and community conflicts related to policing.

Irvin is a former Chief Director for Policy and Research at the Civilian Secretariat of Police. He has extensive experience in training senior police, correctional officers and community members in South and Southern Africa. He has served as the General Secretary to the Western Cape Anti-Crime Forum, Regional Co-ordinator of the NICRO National Office, and deputy chairperson of the Joint Forum on Policing. Irvin has been involved in the setting up of the Independent Complaints Directorate since its inception.

Irvin received the United Nations Vienna Civil Society Award from the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime in 2002. He is a member of the editorial board of Acta Criminologica: African Journal of Criminology and Victimology.

He lectures Police and Policing: Explorations in Security Governance (PBL5844S) at the postgraduate level, Selected Issues in Criminology (PBL4501F), and co-convenes Crime and Deviance in South African Cities (PBL2800F) for undergraduate students in the Humanities and Law.