Security and Strategic Studies scholar Richard Bard Byamukama has emphasized the need for adaptive and modern approaches to crime prevention, noting that crime patterns continue to evolve alongside societal changes.
Speaking to Canary Mugume during Next Big Talk hosted by Next Radio on Wednesday, Byamukama highlighted the dynamic nature of crime and the importance of context-specific responses.
"Crime evolves with the evolution of society and how it is set up," he said, underscoring that criminal activity cannot be viewed as static. He explained that differences in social, economic, and environmental conditions significantly influence crime patterns, particularly when comparing urban and rural areas.
"The category of crime in urban centres might not reflect the category of crimes in rural areas. The trend of crimes in urban centres is very different from the trend of crimes in rural areas," Byamukama said.
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Byamukama stressed that while crime has been a constant throughout human history, it cannot be entirely eradicated. Instead, he urged a collaborative approach between governments and citizens to address underlying causes.
"Crime cannot be completely eradicated; it has evolved alongside mankind and will continue to exist. What citizens and governments can do, however, is work together to address the root causes and create sustainable solutions," he said.
Central to his recommendations is the modernization of investigative processes. He argued that investing in advanced investigative tools and techniques is critical to improving detection rates and deterring criminal activity.
"There should be modernization of investigations, as it plays a critical role in identifying criminals and reducing crime," he added.
Byamukama's remarks come amid encouraging statistics from the 2025 Annual Police Crime Report, which recorded a 10.2% decline in overall crime across the country. According to the report, total reported cases dropped from 218,715 in 2024 to 196,405 in 2025.
Several major crime categories registered notable reductions. Assault cases decreased by 10.8%, falling from 29,580 to 26,366. Sex-related offenses dropped by 12.6%, moving from 14,425 to 12,606 cases, while domestic violence cases declined by 12.2%, from 14,073 to 12,361.
Economic and corruption-related crimes also fell by 12.1%, decreasing from 13,132 to 11,548 cases. Break-ins reduced from 13,511 to 11,818 cases, and incidents involving threatening violence similarly recorded a decline.
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Particularly significant was the reduction in crimes involving children. Reported cases fell to 8,064 in 2025, marking a 14.3% decrease compared to 2024. This continues a steady downward trend from 14,489 cases in 2022 and 10,741 in 2023.
