Exploring the Role of Collective Efficacy and Trust in Police for Crime Prevention in Addis Ababa Neighborhoods
| dc.contributor.advisor | Woldeab Teshome (PhD) | |
| dc.contributor.author | Medareshaw Tafesse | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-08-07T06:14:20Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-08-07T06:14:20Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-06-01 | |
| dc.description.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 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/6165 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_US | |
| dc.publisher | Addis Ababa University | |
| dc.subject | Crime prevention strategies | |
| dc.subject | Community Safety | |
| dc.subject | Collective efficacy | |
| dc.subject | public trust in the police | |
| dc.subject | social capital | |
| dc.subject | Procedural justice | |
| dc.subject | Addis Ababa | |
| dc.subject | Ethiopia | |
| dc.title | Exploring the Role of Collective Efficacy and Trust in Police for Crime Prevention in Addis Ababa Neighborhoods | |
| dc.type | Thesis |