LIVING WITH CRIME

A 2002 household survey of 3,300 residents in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality investigated whether criminal victimisation affects perceived quality of life. The study found that while victims generally do not report lower overall life satisfaction than non-victims, they are significantly less satisfied with their personal safety.

• The study found no significant difference in overall life satisfaction between victims of crime and non-victims, nor were there few differences in wellbeing based on how recently the crime occurred. In some cases, victims reported higher satisfaction with life or specific life domains than non-victims.
• While overall life satisfaction remained stable, crime victims were significantly more dissatisfied with their personal safety than non-victims. This dissatisfaction was most pronounced among black householders who experienced individual victimisation and white householders who experienced home burglaries.
• Victims of crime in the sample tended to be socio-economically advantaged, socially integrated, and more likely to have implemented home security precautions. Conversely, non-victims were more likely to be shack dwellers, newcomers, or individuals with lower socio-economic status and fewer possessions.
• Satisfaction with personal safety is strongly linked to overall wellbeing. Residents who feel safe report higher scores across all quality-of-life measures, including overall life satisfaction and the Personal Wellbeing Index, and typically have higher incomes and formal employment.
• The majority of respondents use faith as a primary coping mechanism for fear of crime and misfortune, with women, older people, and coloured respondents being the most likely to be reassured by their faith.
• Preferences for social assistance vary by demographic: compensation for criminal victimisation is most popular among white householders and higher income earners, while income grants are preferred by lower-income brackets, and free antiretroviral treatment is most popular among black and young householders under 35.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (2004). LIVING WITH CRIME. https://issafrica.org/01-sep-2004-sacq-no-9/living-with-crime

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. LIVING WITH CRIME. 2004. https://issafrica.org/01-sep-2004-sacq-no-9/living-with-crime.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=LIVING WITH CRIME |date=1 September 2004 |url=https://issafrica.org/01-sep-2004-sacq-no-9/living-with-crime |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudies2004living, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{LIVING WITH CRIME}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2004}, month = sep, url = {https://issafrica.org/01-sep-2004-sacq-no-9/living-with-crime}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }