Crime Incidence in Postcommunal Crisis Areas of Southwestern Nigeria: The Effects of Sociophysical Characteristics

Abstract

The study examined the impacts of sociophysical characteristics on crime occurrence in areas affected by the communal crisis in Southwestern Nigeria. Using Ife-Modakeke as the case study, data were obtained from 72 streets identified in the study area. Systematic sampling was used to select one out of every five streets where every 10th building was subsequently selected for sample. Findings revealed attempted rape and store and house break-ins as prevailing crime types while gender, occupation, household's size, and age of residents as well as physical deterioration and disorder were revealed as significant predictors of crime incidence in this area. Further analysis shore-up physical deterioration and disorder as principal predictors of crime with a strong positive correlation (r = +0.767) and to the extent of 55.5% (R² = 0.555). The study concluded that sociophysical characteristics drive crime in the study area of which neighborhood deterioration and disorder were found to be the indispensable predictors.

KEYWORDS:

• Conflict
• crime
• deterioration
• security
• neighborhood
• disorder

Notes

¹Exchange rate: 1000USD = N16,500.00K.