Exploring the Role of Collective Efficacy and Trust in Police for Crime Prevention in Addis Ababa Neighborhoods
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Date
2025-06-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, is grappling with significant crime challenges, as highlighted by
various reports and studies. For example, police data indicates that between 2013 and 2018, major
predatory crimes—such as murder, assault, robbery, and burglary—increased by 43%. Despite this
alarming rise in crime and its many consequences, there is a notable lack of empirical research
aimed at enhancing our understanding as well as informing effective crime control measures. This
research emphasizes the importance of collective efficacy—social cohesion combined with shared
belief among community members in their ability to achieve common goals—and trust in police
forces as vital components in crime prevention and enhancing community safety. This study adopts
a pragmatist research philosophy, combining ontological and epistemological approaches to fill
empirical gaps. It utilizes methodological triangulation through a convergent design that integrates
quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data from 616 residents in 11 neighborhoods of
Addis Ababa was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Qualitative data was
collected through key informant interviews and focus group discussions with residents and police
and analyzed thematically. The study revealed that collective efficacy appears to play crime
protective role in the study areas. Specifically, higher collective efficacy correlates with lower
crime levels, as reflected in residents' perceptions of crime seriousness, fear of crime, and
victimization rates. Yet, the qualitative results reveal a notable degree of collective efficacy in
specific crime-stricken, disadvantaged neighborhoods, contradicting findings from developed
nations that suggest crime-ridden areas lack collective efficacy. Nevertheless, these communities
do not have the essential resources required for effective social control. Further, the study found
that lower trust in the police and procedural justice is inversely related to how respondents
perceived the seriousness of the crime in their neighborhoods and their fear of crime. The study
provides compelling evidence to support the idea that collective efficacy, trust in the police, and
procedural justice are crucial factors in reducing crime rates, improving safety, and fostering
positive police-community relations. Thus, enhancing collective efficacy and trust in the police is
essential for addressing neighborhood crime in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This approach is vital for
effective community-based crime prevention strategies, creating resilient communities that can
proactively address crime.
Keywords: Crime prevention strategies, Community Safety, Collective efficacy, public trust in
the police, social capital, Procedural justice, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Keywords
Crime prevention strategies, Community Safety, Collective efficacy, public trust in the police, social capital, Procedural justice, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia