NCJ Number
39473
Journal
Criminology Volume: 14 Issue: 3 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1976) Pages: 369-386
Date Published
1976
Length
18 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE DEVELOPS A GENERALIZED ECOLOGICAL MODEL OF VARIATIONS IN CRIME RATES AMONG 726 AMERICAN CITIES.
Abstract
FIVE MEASURES OF SERIOUS CRIME AND 25 SOCIOECONOMIC VARIABLES, CHOSEN ON THE BASIS OF THEIR THEORETICAL RELATIONSHIP TO CRIME, ARE CORRELATED USING CANONICAL ANALYSIS. VARIABLES REPRESENTING BLACK POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS, RESIDENTIAL STABILITY, ECONOMIC STATUS, AND AGE OF THE POPULATION ARE PROMINENT AMONG CLUSTERS OF PREDICTORS THAT RELATE SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE CRIME PARAMETERS. THE PRINCIPLE FINDINGS INCLUDE THAT INDICATORS OF URBAN PATHOLOGY, PARTICULARLY THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE BLACK POPULATION, TEND TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH EXTREMELY HIGH REPORTED CRIME RATES AND THAT AN INVERSE RELATIONSHIP EXISTS BETWEEN CRIME RATES AND RESIDENTIAL STABILITY. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT FUTURE RESEARCH MIGHT BE DIRECTED TOWARD MODELING POPULATION MOBILITY EFFECTS ON CRIME RATES AND CONSIDERING WHAT POLICIES ARE MOST APPROPRIATE TO INHIBIT CRIME RELATED TO RESIDENTIAL MOBILITY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...EB