RURAL–URBAN MIGRATION AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON URBAN CRIMES: THE CASE OF BAHIRDAR CITY, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze rural to urban migration and its implications on urban crime in Bahirdar city. To this end, the study has employed cross sectional research design that contained data collection from different sources both in quantitative and qualitative forms at one time. Besides, purposive samplings were used to select officials and urban dwellers while snowball sampling operated to select rural migrants from selected kebeles and the data were collected via questionnaires, key informants interviews and focus group discussion. Accordingly, the finding shows that the majority of rural migrants living in Bahidar city found between the age categories of 15 – 20 and most rural migrants decide to come by agreement with their family. The rural migrants observed with lower educational status, which created difficulties to compete and hire in most urban economic sectors. The current trend of rural out migration to Bahidar city is increasing in each year. The findings revealed that there are pushing or rural and pulling or urban factors contributing for rural out migration into Bahidar city but the pushing factors are more important and influential than urban factors in the study area. On the other hand, rural migrants are facing challenges such as problems of food, housing and clothing, difficulties to communicate with urban dwellers and adapt the urban living style. and the findings revealed that rural migrants are involving in various forms of criminal activities but not all migrants face difficulties to communicate and commit crimes and reports outlined from concerned departments evidenced that the rate of criminal offences committing by rural migrants like robbery against individual property, pickpocket, taking properties of children, stealing parts of vehicles and other forms of illegal activities are increasing in each year. Finally, based on the finding, the researcher concluded that the nature of rural to urban migration is becoming one of the future threats of order in the study area. Thus, the researcher recommended to the governmental and non-governmental bodies to facilitate shelter for migrants, create small-scale business enterprise opportunities, help them accecing education and fulfill their necessities so as to reduce their tendencies of participating in urban crime related practices.