Influences of social and economic conditions on crime in East Africa

Following the attainment of political independence after World War II, the nations of Africa embarked upon economic and industrial development programs to improve the living standards of their people. While independence brought political autonomy, economic independence is yet to be realized. The nations are still faced with a myriad of social, political and economic problems. Cumulatively, these problems are bringing about sociocultural dislocations and institutional asymmetries that also generate crime. It is against this background that this article examines crime patterns and trends in four East African nations using national crime data from 1960 ‐ 84. The results show that minor theft is the most frequently committed offense. Zambia had the highest rate of minor thefts while Kenya had the lowest. Major theft is the second most common offense. A ranking of mean major larceny rates in the four countries from the highest to lowest rates are Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and Kenya. We attribute crime to worsening economic conditions and the declining significance of the extended family system.