NCJ Number
57982
Journal
Criminology Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: (MAY 1979) Pages: 46-57
Date Published
1979
Length
12 pages
Annotation
VARIATION IN VIOLENT CRIME RATES AMONG COMMUNITY AREAS IN CHICAGO, ILL., AND CORRELATES OF THAT VARIATION ARE EXPLORED IN AN ANALYSIS OF POLICE DATA ON HOMICIDE, ROBBERY, AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULT FOR 1974 AND 1975.
Abstract
BLACK COMMUNITIES HAVE HIGHER RATES OF VIOLENCE THAN WHITE COMMUNITIES. BUT RACE IS NOT THE STRONGEST CORRELATE OF VIOLENT CRIME. TWO VARIABLES--PERCENTAGE OF RESIDENTS WHO HAVE IMMIGRATED FROM THE SOUTH, AND RESIDENTIAL PROXIMITY OF VERY POOR FAMILIES AND MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES--ARE CONSISTENTLY MORE STRONGLY RELATED TO VIOLENT CRIME RATES THAN IS THE RACE VARIABLE. THE PROXIMITY VARIABLE ACCOUNTS FOR THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF VARIANCE IN VIOLENT CRIME RATES. THE POWER OF PROXIMITY TO EXPLAIN VIOLENT CRIME PROBABLY COMES FROM ITS RELATIONSHIP BOTH TO THE UNEQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF INCOME IN SOME NEIGHBORHOODS AND TO THE RACIAL COMPOSITION OF COMMUNITIES. PROXIMITY OF POOR AND MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES REPRESENT TWO ASPECTS OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN CHICAGO: EXTREME RACIAL SEGREGATION OF HOUSING UNITS, AND LACK OF HOUSING CHOICES FOR BLACKS. TOGETHER WITH THE FACTS THAT MOST VIOLENT CRIME IN CHICAGO INVOLVES OFFENDERS AND VICTIMS OF THE SAME RACE, AND THAT VIOLENCE IS MORE COMMON AMONG BLACKS THAN AMONG WHITES, THE PROXIMITY RELATIONSHIP TO VIOLENT CRIME IS AN INDICATOR OF THE BURDEN OF DISCRIMINATION CARRIED BY BLACKS IN THE URBAN NORTH. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)