Ninajisikiaje kuhusu usalama ninapotembea mitaani katika eneo ninaloishi? Je, huwa nina wasiwasi ninaposafiri peke yangu? Vipi kuhusu mama yangu, au dada yangu? Ninapokuwa nje, je, huwa nina wasiwasi kuhusu nyumba tupu niliyoiacha nyuma?

How safe do you feel walking in the streets of your local area? Do you worry when you are travelling around on your own? What about your mother, or your sister? When you are out, are you concerned about the empty house you have left behind?

Ikiwa ndivyo, haitakuwa jambo la ajabu. Uhalifu ni tatizo kubwa katika jamii ya Magharibi, huku kukiwa na uhalifu 5.6 milioni unaoripotiwa rasmi kila mwaka nchini Uingereza. Unaendelea kuongezeka kiasi kwamba hakuna mtu anayeweza tena kujisikia salama kuhusu mali yake, heshima yake, au hata maisha yake. Kwa hakika, wasiwasi wa aina hii umekuwa sehemu ya maisha ya kila siku.

If so, it would not be an unusual thing. Crime is a major problem in Western society, with there being 5.6 million officially reported crimes per year in Britain. It is continually on the increase to the extent that nobody can feel secure anymore about their property, honour or even their lives. In fact, such concerns have become part and parcel of everyday life.