NCJ Number
106554
Journal
Casino Gaming Dated: (May 1987) Pages: 9-13
Date Published
1987
Length
5 pages
Annotation
These two articles present results of a study showing gambling in Atlantic City, N.J., to have led to higher crime rates in the city and surrounding areas and two rebuttals of the study's conclusions.
Abstract
The analysis used data from 60 communities in the New Jersey counties of Atlantic, Cape May, and Ocean for the years 1974-1984. The data came from official Federal and State sources and were analyzed through statistical multivariate regression analysis. The study sought to determine whether casinos cause more crime than other types of development of similar magnitude. Levels of all types of crime were higher in the postcasino years of 1978-1984 than in the earlier years, even when variables such as the population and its socioeconomic profile were considered. In comparison to other localities in the region, the localities near Atlantic City and along major roads to New York City and Philadelphia experienced an average of 78 percent more violent crimes, 41 percent more burglaries, 30 percent more vehicle thefts, and 3 percent more larcenies. Crime was imported to localities in direct relation to their wealth, and criminals from poor localities commuted to Atlantic City to commit crimes. The study's authors concluded that a unified regional police force is needed to address the higher levels of crime and deal with professional criminals who are active throughout the region. If full consolidation is difficult, partial consolidation of recordkeeping, investigations, special task forces, crime laboratories, and other capital-intensive services should be considered. The two critiques argue that the study is methodologically flawed and that the risk of victimization in Atlantic City was no greater in 1986 than in 1977.