The primary aim of the VCS is to establish the prevalence of particular kinds of crime within a certain population. The objectives of the survey are to:
• Provide information about the dynamics of crime from the perspective of households and the victims of crime
• Explore public perceptions of the activities of the police, prosecutors, courts and correctional services in the prevention of crime and victimization
• Provide complimentary data on the level of crime within South Africa in addition to the statistics published annually by the South African Police Service.