. The need to balance, on the one hand, the rights of the child established in the Constitution and our legal obligations in terms of international treaties and conventions with, on the other hand, the rights of the victims of crime and the need to fight crime and ensure the safety and security of the community. . The need to ensure that the State has the necessary capacity to effectively implement the new criminal justice system for children decided on. 3. The Committee is excruciatingly aware of the high levels of crime in our country and the capacity of children in our country to commit crime. The Committee is also acutely aware of the public perception that the State is failing dismally to curb crime. It is precisely because of these concerns that the Committee effected changes to the Bill. Clearly, it is important to be tough on crime, including crime committed by children, but we also have to ensure that this is part of a process of preventing and reducing crime over time, and ensuring that children are not criminalized and constantly re-offend, becoming part of an endless cycle of crime. What future has the country otherwise? Clearly, there need to be short, medium and long term programmes, measures and targets as part of an overall, sustainable long term strategy to reduce crime by children as part of a broader approach to reduce crime generally in the country. This Bill has to be located in the context of the need of these considerations.