What question did this study set out to answer?

The research aims to highlight the significance of victim surveys in understanding crime and justice in South Africa.

March 10, 2026Open Access

More data means better tools for South Africa

Key Points

The research aims to highlight the significance of victim surveys in understanding crime and justice in South Africa.
Analysis of the 2015/16 Victims of Crime Survey conducted by Stats SA.
Examination of the relationship between survey findings and police data.
Identification of trends in victimisation and public perception of justice institutions.
Victim surveys identified trends in victimisation that differ from police reports.
Data from victim surveys provides insights into public perceptions of safety.
The findings underscored the importance of integrating survey data for better criminal justice outcomes.

Abstract

In February this year, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) released the findings of the 2015/16 Victims of Crime Survey, and announced that it would release the 2016/17 results in November. Victim surveys, though not without fault, capture valuable data relating to crime, justice and safety, that is not typically collected by criminal justice agencies. Much of their value lies in their ability to identify victimisation trends which may or may not appear in police data, and to gauge perceptions and experiences of criminal justice institutions.

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