Zimbabwe has experienced a 21.5% surge in crime cases, rising from 182,427 in the previous quarter to 221,596 in the most recent period, the latest Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) figures have revealed.
The national crime rate has also increased, reaching 1,459.9 crimes per 100,000 people, compared to 1,201.8 in the previous quarter.
The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency compiles crime data based on police records, focusing on reported incidents.
In the 2023 fourth quarter crime statistics report, ZimStat’s manager-social statistics, Tinashe Mwadiwa, highlighted 326 intentional homicide cases. He said (via NewsDay):
The police recorded 221 596 offences throughout October to December 2023. This represents a 21,5% increase from 182 427 offences recorded in the third quarter.
The national crime rate was 1 459,9 per 100 000 people, an uptick from 1 201,8 per 100 000 observed in the previous quarter.
Assaults and threats category was the most frequent act causing harm or intending to cause harm to the person. The rate for assaults and threats stood at 195,9 per 100 000 population.
Mwadiwa said there were 37 602 cases of theft recorded in the fourth quarter, indicating a rate of 247,7 per 100 000 population. He said:
The unlawful acts involving alcohol, tobacco or other controlled substances category was the most prevalent act involving controlled drugs or other psychoactive substances.
According to the ZimStat report, the incidence of unlawful acts involving alcohol, tobacco, or other controlled substances has reached 4,886 cases, corresponding to a rate of 32.2 per 100,000 population1.
Additionally, fraud accounted for 3,235 cases, resulting in a rate of 21.3 per 100,000 population.
Furthermore, 48 cases of corruption were recorded, representing a rate of 0.3 per 100,000 population. Said Mwadiwa:
There were 3 091 cases of sexual violence recorded in the fourth quarter of 2023, representing a crime rate of 20,4 per 100 000 population.
The number of offences recorded under Other acts against public order, authority and provisions of the State’ was 7 548, translating to a crime rate of 49,7 per 100 000 population.
During the 2023 fourth quarter, 88 967 cases of non-injurious traffic violations were recorded resulting in a crime rate of 586,1 per 100 000 population.
Mwadiwa said at the close of the fourth quarter of 2023, Zimbabwe’s prison facilities housed a total of 23,017 prisoners. Among these inmates, 17,050 (74.1%) were sentenced and 5,967 (25.9%) were unsentenced.
Interestingly, the age distribution of new male and female prisoners revealed some patterns; the highest proportion of new prisoners fell within the 25-29 age group, followed by those aged between 20 and 24.
Beyond the age group of 25-29, the number of new prisoners gradually declined with increasing age.
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