Criminality and Victimization in Oromia, Ethiopia: Analysis of 2011/2012 Police Data

Abstract

This study analyzed crime statistics of 2011/2012 with objectives to compare the characteristics of criminals based on correlates of crime such as age, gender, types of occupation, level of education, and marital status and to examine features of victimization by age and sex. The study was conducted in Oromia National Regional State. Police crime data of 2011/2012 were used. Furthermore, key informant interview was used. Descriptive statistics such as percentages, frequencies, and ratios were primarily used to analyze the aggregate police data. It is found that sociocultural and structural factors affect criminality and victimization patterns. The total number of criminals reported to and recorded by the police was 96,300, which constitute 85,100 male and 11,200 female offenders. About 37% of these criminals committed violent crime. The ratio of male to female offenders was 7.6:1. The dominance of male over female both in criminality and victimization is the extension of their social position in social structure and result of gender role socialization. Age group 19 to 30 was found to be the most criminal population with the criminal rate of 828 per 100,000 people. Unfortunately, the relationship between educational status, types of occupation/employment, and marital status on one hand and criminality on the other were less than conclusive mainly because of lack of adequate information on such variables for individual criminals and victims or the fact that the police data were only aggregate ones. Victimization rate was higher for males and 31 to 50 age category.