LITERATURE REVIEW
3.8 DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS
3.8.1 Questionnaires
Using cluster (probability) sampling, questionnaires14 were used to gather quantitative community-based data. The Merewent area accommodates fifty percent of the total
14 See Appendices Two for a copy of the Questionnaire.
69 population of the SDB (Kruger, 2006), for the study one thousand respondents were surveyed, which comprised of 3.3% of the total population (N=30000). Using a large sample ensured a wide spectrum of the population was represented and provided a diversity of respondents from across a large geographical area. Beyond presenting the findings in reality, it was important to ensure diversity because it assists in reinforcing the external validity of the data and the analysis. From a practical level, the large sample provided a broad foundation for supporting implementation of CPTED under the SDB CSF, in the study area and surrounding communities. Questionnaires were also inexpensive and allowed large groups of people to be surveyed. Self-administered questionnaires allowed respondents to individually complete the forms, with the researcher present to address any queries.
Access to the community was gained through churches. Each church had between two hundred and one thousand members. The SDB ABM office, besides establishing the SDB CSF, also created the SDB Faith Based Organisation (FBO). The researcher's decision to access the community via the churches was because there were over fifty churches in Wentworth (SDB ABM, FBO Database, 2012). Furthermore, both the SDB CSF and SDB FBO have worked in partnership when undertaking projects within the community. So, the researcher's relationship with members of the SDB FBO committee allowed access to the congregations. Another reason for using churches was due the extensive work that many of the organisations undertook with regard to social and community development. For instance, Pastor Victor Smith of Miracle Ministries indicated that his church engaged in a number of support programmes. Some of these included visiting the local hospital and providing support for the sick (those with HIV/AIDS and other illnesses) that have been ostracised from the community. The church provided a monthly allowance for widows, care for the elderly through the provision of toiletries and other necessities, and educational bursaries for orphaned children (Smith, Electronic Communication, 2013).
Using the SDB ABM database the researcher initially selected ten churches spread geographically across the community (SDB ABM, FBO Database, 2012). In this way, a diverse population could be surveyed from across a wide geographical area. The initial objective was to carry out one hundred questionnaires in each of the ten churches. The researcher contacted the church leaders, explained the purpose of the study and
70 requested access. Seven churches declined and three (Austerville Congregational Church, Grace Tabernacle Church and Miracle Ministries)15 agreed to allow the congregation to participate in this study.
The questionnaires had to be approved by the Pastor(s), to ensure it did not contain any inflammatory material. Thereafter, the researcher arranged a date and time-slot at the end of the Sunday service to address and disseminate questionnaires to the congregation. Respondents were asked to fill in and return questionnaires the following week to their Pastors at the next Sunday service. This failed to achieve the desired results as many questionnaires were not returned, resulting in time-consuming and cost related losses. To overcome this problem, the SDB ABM provided the researcher with five-hundred pens, so respondents could fill and return questionnaires at the end of each church visit. The SDB ABM also assisted by printing additional questionnaires.
To compensate for the unreturned questionnaires, the researcher sought the assistance of two fieldworkers who had daily contact with community members. One fieldworker worked at a local high school (Fairvale Secondary School)16 and was a member of the Wentworth volunteer social crime prevention programme. Consent to administer the questionnaires at the school were gained through the principal. Questionnaires were completed by parents and returned to the school. The second fieldworker worked in the NGO organisation, Khulisa, and administered questionnaires through her daily engagement with community members. Transportation was a challenge as questionnaires had to be delivered to, and collected from, the field workers. In addition, work commitments made it difficult for fieldworkers to adhere to the timelines when returning completed questionnaires.
The questionnaires were divided into four broad categories of various questions pertaining to (i) demographics, (ii) crime, (iii) crime and design and (iv) CPTED. There were open-ended (the respondents provided reasons for specific choices) and close- ended (predefined options) questions. One thousand questionnaires were administered.
The Khulisa fieldworker administered one hundred and fifty questionnaires and the
15 See Appendices Three for copies of consent forms outlining the participation of the churches in this study.
16 See Appendices Four for a copy of the consent form outlining the participation of the school in this study.
71 fieldworker at the school, one-hundred. Seven-hundred and fifty questionnaires were administered to the churches by the researcher. Of these questionnaires one hundred and twenty three were not returned. Two hundred and twenty five were returned incomplete and unusable. This left a combined total of six-hundred and fifty-two questionnaires for analysis. A reason for incomplete questionnaires could be attributed to the structure of the questions that grouped many choices under particular questions. This structure may have been confusing for respondents. In some instances, respondents answered half the questionnaire; these were not captured to ensure the integrity of the results.