**6. Conclusions**

This chapter examined the influence of economic factors on crime in Gauteng's local municipalities. The results reveal that the province is dominated by income inequality and poverty in Gauteng's local municipalities. However, the chapter also found that the stability of economic variables is instrumental in reducing crime in the Gauteng local municipalities. These results are in sync with the theoretical and empirical literature that reached a general consensus that economic growth, employment, low poverty rates, education, trade openness and low Gini coefficient reduce crime. Since crime, poverty and income inequality is dominant in the province, there is, thus, scope to promote education, employment and economic growth for crime reduction purposes. More efforts should be directed to the reduction of the aforementioned socioeconomic challenges. There has to be an increase in the education of technical skills that creates both formal and informal employment in the local municipalities. The chapter further suggests that the local government initiate community projects that create employment and income for the community members. Although this chapter has achieved its objective, one limitation has been identified. The chapter did not include other socioeconomic variables such as income, gender and age. However, these variables will be incorporated in the upcoming study.
