An Assessment of Socio-Economic Factors on Crime: A Case Study of Kaliti Correctional Administration, Ethiopia
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Date
2016-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Social and economic factors have an influence on the state of people’s lives which in turn influence their behavior. The aim of this thesis is to assess influence of socio-economic factors on crime in Ethiopia, with particular emphasis on the triggering factors that led inmates who are serving time in Kaliti Correctional Administration to criminal behavior. By using differential association theoretical framework as a tool of explanations, the present study assessed the influence of socio-economic factors that prompt criminal behavior. As a result, qualitative method was employed to capture the attitudes and perceptions of the offenders about their knowledge and/or experience of crime and how they have been influenced by socio-economic factors. This study employed both primary and secondary sources of data. Primary data was collected from 15 respondents through in-depth interview with offenders serving time in Kaliti Correctional Administration and key informant interview with police officers, administrative officials of Kaliti Correctional Administration and it was the main and first hand data of information for the study. Though the main and first hand source of data is primary, it was supplemented by information gathered from secondary sources of data. Review of relevant document, literature, published books, journals and research report that have direct or indirect relation with the research objective was also reviewed. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. As the findings of the study show, social and economic factors influence the tendency of participants to commit crime; however, certain conditions are more prone to crime than others. From the interview result, it is observed that poor socialization; parent’s failure to give a proper guidance for the children, peer influence and lack of income are among the factors that were significantly influenced participant’s tendency to commit crime. In conclusion, social and economic factors have an influence on the incidences of criminal acts.
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Keywords
Socio-Economic Factors,Crime