Anni Hesselink
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.