Effects of crime on economic growth: case of Zimbabwe (1980 – 2023)

Abstract

Zimbabwe has an extremely high rate of crime (45% surge in crime in 2023) and this is a hindrance to the country’s economic growth. High prevalence rate of crime hinders the country’s economic growth and development, as it discourages foreign direct investment (FDI), increase costs for businesses, reduces productivity, and leads to a net-migration. Crime in Zimbabwe remains a serious problem for economic progression. Therefore the research titled: The effects of crime on economic growth in Zimbabwe. In this regard, the quantitative research methodology using secondary data gathered from well recognised and reliable sources such as; Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat), Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), Zimbabwe Republic Police Services (ZRP), and the World Bank was employed with STATA 14.0 as the computer package for data analysis and presentation