TITLE PAGE
A STATISTICAL
ANALYSIS OF CRIME OFFENCES RECORDED IN BENIN, EDO STATE. (FROM 1999- 2014) – A
CASE STUDY OF BENIN DIVISIONAL HEAD QUARTERS.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0.
Introduction
The menace of crime across the globe is a
serious concern. Every country across the globe has its particular problems.
The West African sub region and in particular Nigeria is not an exception. One
of such teething problems and challenges confronting the country is the rising
wave of crime. This study is aimed at examining the factors responsible for the
increasing wave of crime in Nigeria, Edo state in particular.
Criminal
offences simply put are those behaviors or attitudes that are punishable by
law. Okoro et al 2012 opined that a criminal offence is a crime against the state. It can also be called ‘breaking the
law’. If you are accused of a criminal offence, the charge sheet or
will say what offence you have been charged with. Generally
in Nigeria, the level of crime offences has risen sporadically. This may be
caused by a host of factors. Crime rates in different states are not on the
same level, there are states where the level of crime is higher than others.
According to the Nigeria police force, crime rate in Nigeria has risen
geometrically overtime. Crime is an inhibitor to the economic, political and social
progress of a nation and a major factor for underdevelopment; this is because
it discourages both local and foreign investments, reduces the quality of life
of its citizens, and damages relationship between citizens and states, thus
undermining democracy, the rule of law and the ability of the country to
promote sustainable development and peace (Abayomi 2013). The consequences of crime
touch almost everyone in one way or the other. We are going to streamline our
research work on crime offences in Nigeria to Edo state, Benin City precisely.
This is because of its strategic location on the geographical map of Nigeria
and its important socio economic and cultural values.
Causes of crime
Crime
can be caused by so many factors, criminologists in their knowledge of crime
has stipulated some core causes of crime across the globe. The following are
some of the major causes of crime
i.
Unemployment: the
increase of unemployed youths across the world has lead to a steady rise in
crime and corrupt practices. This is simply because when people are jobless or
idle there is that chance of them criminally being busy.
ii.
Political activities:
in the West African sub region, this factor is the chief cause of the rise of
criminal activities. During political happenings, politicians leverage on the
high rate of unemployment in this part of the world to recruit idle youths who
would willingly engage in this unholy acts to make a living.
iii.
Crises or social
unrest: naturally during cases of crises and social unrest, there is a high
tendency for Criminal activities to be at its peak.
1.1
statement
of the general problem
In
Nigeria, Edo state in particular, crime has impeded the development of the
state. Crime offences in the state have done the state more harm than good. Criminality
has taken a new dimension in Benin, crimes are being committed in a more
sophisticated manner, and criminals have devised ways of evading the watchful
eyes of the security operatives. This has led us to this research work, to be
able to discover those new dimensions of crime in Benin so that we can proffer
solutions of reducing crime by updating the security operatives and the general
citizens of Edo state and Nigeria at large.
There
is also a major concern to know if crime is age and gender related. That is, do
people within certain age bracket commit more crime than others and does a
particular gender engage in criminal activities than the other. There is
equally another concern of knowing the level of crime in Benin City, are the
security operatives doing a good job? Have government being committed to
positively employing our youths? Etc
1.2. Aims and
objectives of the study
This
study is aimed at the following;
1. To
statistically analyze the level of crime in Benin City.
2. To
know if crime in Benin is age and gender related.
3. To
discover if crime has a relationship with educational background.
4. To
discover other causes of crime in Benin City.
5. To
proffer new ways of curbing crime in Benin City.
6. To
know which age grade is more involved in criminal activities in Benin City.
7. To
know which crimes are most committed in Benin City and causes.
1.3. Significance
of the study
The significance of this study is mainly to
ascertain the level of crime in Benin City, to know if crime is age, gender
related. Another importance of this study is to know if there is a relationship
between crime and educational background, to discover which age group is more
involved in criminal activities. Another very cardinal significance of this
study is to know the frequently committed crimes in Benin City and causes.
1.4
Scope and limitations of the study
This study is centered on the statistical analysis
of the crime offenses recorded in Benin City (from 1999-2014), knowing. Another
scope of the study is to know if crime in Benin City is age and gender related.
Thirdly, to know the frequently committed crimes in Edo state.
LIMITATIONS OF
THE STUDY
It is necessary to mention some of the limitations
in this research work. The chief limitation is the difficulty in obtaining
relevant information in that a few of our values gotten from the police
divisional headquarters Benin City were missing but these missing values were
not statistical significant enough to be
noticed. Another limitation is the
difficulty in administering questionnaire and retrieving in that respondents
were not prompt in filling out the questionnaire.
Notwithstanding, in the highlighted limitation
above, it is hoped that this
research will be useful to Edo state and the general public.
1.5 Definition of terms
Crime: activities
that involve breaking the law.
Criminal:
the illegal act of somebody or group of people failing to do something that
they should do. It also means connected with or involving crime.
Criminal activity: an
act committed in violation of the law where the consequences of conviction by a
court are punishment, especially where the punishment is a serious one such as
imprisonment.
1.6. Research
hypotheses
The
research hypotheses are as follows:
HYPOTHESIS 1
H0:
there is no
significant relationship between age and criminal offences in Benin City.
H1: there is a significant relationship between age and
criminal offences in Benin City
Level of significance: 0.05
Decision rule: reject H0 if p-value is less than the level of
significance. Accept H0 if otherwise.
HYPOTHESIS 2
H0:
there is no
significant relationship between gender and criminal offences in Benin City.
H1: there is a significant relationship between gender and
criminal offences in Benin City
Level of significance: 0.05
Decision rule: reject H0 if p-value is less than the level of
significance. Accept H0 if otherwise.
HYPOTHESIS 3
H0:
there is no
significant relationship between educational background and criminal offences
in Benin City.
H1: there is no significant relationship between educational
background and criminal offences in Benin City.
Level of significance: 0.05
Decision rule: reject H0 if p-value is less than the level of
significance. Accept H0 if otherwise.