SA: 'We don't feel safe'
2003-09-22 23:50
Lizel Steenkamp
Pretoria - The police's national crime statistics for the period April 2002 to March 2003 show that certain violent crimes decreased or stabilised compared to the previous year, but South Africans will not necessarily agree with this.
Ted Leggett, senior researcher at the Institute of Security Studies, said South Africans need local statistics to determine personally how safe they are in the areas they live and work in.
The latest crime statistics show that hijackings decreased by 20% countrywide and bank and cash in-transit heists dropped by 15.4%.
"But is doesn't feel this way. We need local crime statistics, because hijackings may have increased in my residential area over the same period," Leggett said.
He also found it strange that murders decreased by 1.3%, while attempted murders increased by 12.4% over the same period.
"The murder rate is a good indication of the prevalence of violent crime in general. This reduction shows that the situation is improving.
"However, I do not understand the big difference in the murder rate and statistics for attempted murder. Maybe the latter is reported very well."
The crime statistics show that the number of rapes dropped by 5.3%, but Leggett said this reduction is rather a reflection of victims' mistrust in the criminal justice system and that victims are not reporting these crimes.
He was also sceptical about the police's assumption that one out of three rapes were reported.
"I think this number is much lower. Nobody can say for certain how many rapes are not reported, because victims are reluctant to talk about it."
The report stated that there wasn't much more police could do to prevent crimes such as murder, attempted murder and assault, because these crimes were related to socio-economic factors, unemployment and moral decay.
Statistics show that 50% of all murder suspects, 45% of rape suspects and 35% of assault suspects used drugs (including alcohol) within 48 hours prior to their arrest.
"Police can do something about drugs, illegal alcohol sales and illegal firearms," Leggett said.
- Beeld