Camps Bay Neighbourhood - Up To Date

More income, more crime

THE country needs a crime-prevention strategy that reflects a critical examination of the social mechanisms underpinning the high crime rate, researcher Michael O’Donovan says.

Mr O’Donovan, who specialises in the analysis of crime trends, yesterday told a conference organised by the Institute for Security Studies that educated and wealthy South Africans were far more likely to be victims of crime .

He said he had analysed the relationship between income levels and crime levels across SA and found that higher income levels and higher crime levels were associated. But this did not "imply that income causes crime".

Mr O’Donovan found that property crime increased with income levels. "The association between income levels and property crime can be explained by the fact that wealthier areas present more opportunities for property crime, and that victims of crime in wealthier areas are more likely to report crime for insurance purposes," he said.

Researcher Jean Redpath presented the conference with data shedding light on the role of service delivery, sport and other factors in crime.

Her research, based on a victimisation survey in Galeshewe township in Kimberley, found men who participated in sport, particularly soccer, were much more likely to become victims of crime. This was because they tended to get involved in disputes with each other and had unmet material aspirations .

This article applies to: Middle, Rontree 1, Rontree 2, Glen, Bakoven, Village, Clifton, CPF