| Malawi | |
|---|---|
| Crime rates* (2023) | |
| Violent crimes | |
| Homicide | 2.3 |
| Rape | 20 |
| Robbery | 16.1 |
| Aggravated assault | 68.1 |
| Total violent crime | 70.9 |
| Property crimes | |
| Burglary | 109.8 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 23.7 |
| Arson | 11.6 |
| Total property crime | 265.8 |
Notes *Number of reported crimes per 100,000 population. Estimated total population: 21,240,689. | |
Southeast African nation of Malawi has a complicated criminal history that is a reflection of its political, economic, and cultural environment.[1][2] Although crime in Malawi dates back to pre-colonial times, it wasn't until the colonial era that it started to pose a serious threat.[3][2][4]
Malawi witnessed a remarkable decline in homicide rates between 2006 and 2012, plummeting from 6.3 to 1.8 per 100,000 people, a staggering 70% reduction.[5] Additionally, the Lilongwe Model Police Station saw a consistent decrease in arrests from 2017 to 2020, but this trend was disrupted in 2021 due to increased arrests related to Covid-19 regulations and sweeping exercises.[6] Furthermore, data from the World Prison Brief reveals that the proportion of prisoners to the general population reached its peak in 2006, indicating a significant improvement in the country's safety and security landscape over the years.[7][8]
Malawians' perceptions of crime and security, as reflected in Afrobarometer surveys, present a mixed picture. While the percentage of respondents who considered crime and security a top priority decreased from about 7% in 2005 to about 6.3% in 2019, suggesting a perceived improvement in the situation, other survey findings contradict this trend, indicating a more complex and nuanced situation.[9][10]
- ^ Leroy Vail and Landeg White (eds). Tribalism in the Political History of Malawi
- ^ a b "Criminality in Malawi - The Organized Crime Index". ocindex.net. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
- ^ P Brietzke, (1974). The Chilobwe Murders Trial, African Studies Review, Vol. 17, No. 2.
- ^ R Carver, (1990). Where Silence Rules: The Suppression of Dissent in Malawi, Human Rights Watch. ISBN 978-0-929692-73-9
- ^ "Country Profile | dataUNODC". dataunodc.un.org. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
- ^ Writer, Staff (2019-02-22). "Media Advisory: Malawi High Court to Determine Constitutionality of Sweeping Exercises". Retrieved 2024-06-20.
- ^ Holmes, Tyler (2022-05-03). "No one knows if crime in Malawi is rising or falling, not even the police". African Arguments. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
- ^ "Malawi | World Prison Brief". www.prisonstudies.org. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
- ^ http://afrobarometer.org/sites/default/files/publications/Summary%20of%20results/mlw_r3_sor.pdf
- ^ http://afrobarometer.org/sites/default/files/publications/Summary%20of%20results/mlw-r7-sor.pdf