A Survey of Public Opinion On Some Aspects of Social Change and Crime in Nigeria: A Study of Udi L.G.A. of Enugu State Nigeria

ABSTRACT The study was designed to investigate the extent to which social changes have influenced crime especially in Udi L.G.A. of Enugu State. Specifically, the study attempted to establish existing relationships if any between changes in the socio-economic and political values and rate of criminal activity in Udi society. The purpose of this study was to identify forms of social change that have taken place in Udi over time and their influence on crime. The specific objective was to ascertain the extent to which politics, unemployment and inadequate socialization of children have contributed to crime increase in Udi L.G.A. In the investigation, six research questions and three research hypotheses were used. A survey research design was adopted for the study. A sample of 500 respondents were selected through the simple random sampling method and questionnaire administered to them for data collection. The research questions and research hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance guided the study. Descriptive statistics like percentages, proportions as well as statistical tables and other relevant methods were used in highlighting the relationship between the variables of interest in the study. The chi-square (x2 ) was used to test the hypotheses in this study. Furthermore, an indepth interview was conducted with the police personnel, professionals who occupy relevant positions and also members of the community who have good knowledge of the subject matter. The findings of the study, however, showed that crime was influenced by the type of politics in Nigeria, unemployment and inadequate socialization of children. The study recommends that: 1. The government should embark on policies and actions that would provide employment opportunities to the citizens, especially the youth. This includes the creation of an enabling environment that will allow the private sector to flourish and create jobs. 2. The government should embark on programmes that will alleviate the poverty situation in Udi and the country at large. 3. Political thuggery should be banned and political leaders should avoid money politics and embrace politics of issues and ideology which have the interest of the people as the core driving force. 4. Parents should endeavour to provide the needs of their children and also, prevent them from watching immoral and violent films etc. 5. The moral structures of the society require re-examination.