The Socio-Economic Determinants of Crime in South Africa: An Empirical Assessment

Haroon Bhorat, Adaiah Lilenstein, Jabulile Monnakgotla and Amy Thornton

Working Papers from University of Cape Town, Development Policy Research Unit

Abstract: South Africa possess some of the highest reported crime statistics in the world, making the study of crime and its determinants of particular interest in this context. Three socio-economic factors can initially be identified as playing an important role in our understanding of the incidence of crime: Unemployment, income levels, and the prevalent level of income inequality. This research uses small area level data from the South African census to derive socio-economic variables and link this to crimes reported by the South African Police Service (SAPS). We briefly discuss the literature surrounding crime and socio-economic indicators, both internationally and in South Africa. We then turn to an overview of the other factors that can influence crime rates, before presenting the classic economic theory of crime in more detail. Finally, we discuss our conceptual approach, which draws on the literature and the economic model to determine what we can expect from the results to follow.

Keywords: Crime; South Africa; unemployment; poverty; inequality; property crime; robbery crime; violent crime; precinct-level income (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I31 J21 J24 J28 O1 P46 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 44 pages
Date: 2017-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

Published in Working Paper Series by the Development Policy Research Unit, March 2017, pages 1-44

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ctw:wpaper:201704

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