Anni Hesselink

University of Limpopo South Africa

Professor Dr. Ann-Mari Hesselink holds a BA, a BA Honours in Criminology, and a Master's degree (cum laude). She earned her Doctorate in Criminology from the University of South Africa (UNISA), with a dissertation titled "Criminological Assessment of Prison Inmates: A Constructive Mechanism Towards Offender Rehabilitation", and is recognized as a rated researcher. Her specialization lies in working with female offenders and sex workers, with a focus on crime analysis, profiling, rehabilitation, and offender reintegration. She conducts in-depth assessments of offenders and their criminal behavior, playing a key role in the criminological profiling of persistent and serial offenders. Dr. Hesselink has authored criminology study manuals for academic institutions, published numerous scholarly articles on criminal behavior, and presented her research at national and international conferences. She previously served as Deputy Director at the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), where her responsibilities included the development of offender assessment tools and staff management. She also worked as a criminologist at a private maximum-security facility. Formerly a senior professor at UNISA, she now holds a full professorship in Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Limpopo. Prof. Hesselink mentors DCS-UNISA volunteer Honours criminology students and supports the academic development of Master’s and PhD candidates within correctional facilities in South Africa’s Limpopo province. She compiles criminological assessments and reports for the DCS and the National Council for Correctional Services and advises Parole Boards on risk indicators for various offender categories, including life-sentenced inmates. Additionally, she is actively involved in the criminological assessment and profiling of at-risk children, supporting social workers at youth care centers in early behavior identification. Prof. Hesselink also served as the editor of Child Abuse Research in South Africa (CARSA), an accredited academic journal.

Anni Hesselink

1books edited

Latest work with IntechOpen by Anni Hesselink

Criminology and Victimology - International Perspectives elucidates the practical contributions, engagements, focal areas, and applications of expertise, knowledge, and skills by criminologists and victimologists in practice, thereby extending towards an invaluable enhancement of intellectually enriching multidisciplinary fields within the realms of human and social sciences, the criminal justice system, and both the formal and informal sectors of society. This book highlights the role and contributions of criminologists in formulating pre-sentence reports for the judiciary and informing sentencing decisions. It also highlights the acumen and capabilities of rural criminologists, along with their analytical endeavors and initiatives concerning rural environments, as well as the risks and victimization of livestock. Profound insights can be derived from criminological and victimological assessments of sexual and gender minority men (SGMM), including individuals from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) community, who face victimization and stigma within correctional contexts. Sociological inquiries from Montenegro unveil critical risk factors associated with juvenile offenders, correlating these risks with unstable family dynamics and exposure, thereby illuminating the offender-victim nexus and applying practical skills concerning these individuals. In Iran, criminology and victimology remain heavily reliant on criminal law, which stifles the professionalization and career prospects within the judicial sphere, thereby accentuating the necessity for advancing criminology and victimology as autonomous disciplines with tangible career trajectories. They are frequently subject to misapprehension. This book, Criminology and Victimology - International Practices, endeavors to elucidate the academic and theoretical frameworks that have evolved into a compelling and pragmatic application of knowledge and expertise. It entails that while firmly anchored in scientific theories, principles, and research, the fields of criminology and victimology have matured to furnish invaluable and pragmatic insights and contributions to multidisciplinary teams.

Go to the book