Bad Kids: South African Youngsters who Rob and Kill

by Chris Karsten

Bad Kids tells ten true stories of youngsters involved in serious crime, often the worst possible ending other people’s lives before their own have properly begun.

There are tales of unspeakable boys and girls who lie and steal to gain favors; students from privileged backgrounds who brutally kill a homeless man; sixteen-year-olds who murder their parents and siblings. But sometimes heroism and hope flow from Angeline Taljaard bravely sings in a musical the day after members of her immediate family have been murdered and maimed by two fifteen-year-old boys; and many people on both sides of the Atlantic still benefit from Amy Biehl’s legacy after she was stoned to death by teenagers coming from a political rally.

Chris Karsten follows the often bizarre twists and turns in the story behind the headline crime, masterfully recreating the suspense and action. He gets right inside the minds of the main characters and puts a human face to these perplexing crimes. As a journalist he was directly involved with many of the events recounted in this collection. “Like a series of still photographs, they place you in the centre of the dramatic events of which the outcomes were still unclear at the time.” To flesh out these often-sketchy facts, he held lengthy discussions with people who were intimately involved with the survivors, next of kin, detectives, forensic specialists and psychologists.

Genres: True Crime

144 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2011

About the author

Chris Karsten is op 9 November 1947 op Morgenzon in Mpumalanga gebore. Hy matrikuleer aan die Hoërskool Hoogenhout op Bethal en behaal ’n BA-graad met Afrikaans-Nederlands en Sielkunde aan die Universiteit van Pretoria (1970). Hy werk daarna as koerantjoernalis by Die Volksblad, Beeld en Rapport.

Chris is die skrywer van twee kinderboeke, Floris sapiens (1985) en Die jokkie wat met perde kon praat (1997). Hy ontvang die Sanlamprys vir jeuglektuur (silwer) vir Floris sapiens. Sy eerste roman, Frats, het in 2007 verskyn, en is ’n jaar later met die ATKV-prosaprys bekroon.

As koerantman was hy in verskillende joernalistieke hoedanighede gemoeid by baie van die stories wat in sy Ware Misdaad-reeks opgeneem is. Van die titels wat sedert 2007 in dié reeks verskyn het, sluit in Riller in die raaisel, Opspraak deur moord, Dodelike vroue, Verlore onskuld en Boos en bisar.

Sy boek oor aktrise Charlize Theron verskyn in Mei 2009 en is in Afrikaans (Charlize: Ek leef my droom) en Engels (Charlize: Life’s One Helluva Ride) beskikbaar. Chris se tweede roman, Seisoen van sonde, verskyn in Junie 2009 by Human & Rousseau.

Karsten woon in Kanada.

Reviews

[Meaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A series of ten short journalistic-type essays about teens and a few preteens in South Africa who have committed murder. In most cases the author provides background for both the victims and the offenders, as well as a description of the crime and sentencing. I am interested in juvenile crime and juvenile justice but I know little about how violent children are handled outside the US. South Africa doesn't have the "lock-em-up-and-throw-away-the-key" attitude America has; most of these killer kids were given sentences that, by American standards, would be shockingly short. Yet it's clear there are no winners here and I think Karsten's view of the young violent offenders is balanced and even sympathetic at times.

The most tragic story, in my opinion, was the one where two 15-year-old boys shot an entire family during a home invasion robbery: grandmother, father, mother, daughter, son. The sole survivor was the little boy. Left paralyzed, he nevertheless became a celebrated athlete, playing basketball and other sports from his wheelchair. Then, at the age of twenty, he shot himself.