Crime in SA increases - SAARF

The SAARF Crime Monitor, part of the AMPS® self-completion questionnaire, looks at how crime has affected the lives of South African adults. Respondents are asked whether, in the past 12 months, they have personally been a victim of violent crime in South Africa, such as physical assault, mugging, gang attack, rape or hijacking (obviously excluding murder). They are also asked whether they have personally been a victim of non-violent crime, such as housebreaking, pick-pocketing, and car or cell-phone theft.

Crime as measured by AMPS® 2004 has increased significantly over AMPS® 2003B:
- The experiencing of violent crime is up from 7.0% to 7.9% (amongst 16-24s, the 50+ age group, and in SU-LSM® 1-4).
- The incidence of non-violent crime is up from 12.9% to 14.0% (amongst 16-24s, and in SU-LSM® 4 and 5).
- 18.0% of people have experienced 'any crime', versus 16.4% in the previous survey (amongst 16-24s, the 50+ age group, and in SU-LSM® 4 and 5).