CRIME BASED ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION OF 729 AMERICAN CITIES

• NCJ Number: 36746
• Journal: Social Indicators Research Volume: 2 Dated: (1976) Pages: 467-487
• Author(s): K D HARRIES
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 21 pages
• Corporate Author: D Reidel Publishing Co
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Netherlands
• Note: REPRINT

Annotation

THIRTY SOCIAL INDICATORS, CONSISTING OF CRIME RATES AND VARIABLES, WHICH MAY BE REGARDED THEORETICALLY AS CORRELATES OF CRIME, ARE FACTOR ANALYZED FOR 729 CITIES WITH MINIMUM POPULATIONS OF 25,000.

Abstract

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH CRIME, POVERTY, NATIVE-BORN STATUS, CITY REVENUE, RESIDENTIAL STABILITY, HOME CONSTRUCTION, CITY SIZE, AND POPULATION AGE ARE IDENTIFIED. THE DATA MATRIX IS PARTITIONED IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY 'HIGH CRIME' AND 'LOW CRIME' CITIES. THE CITIES IN EACH CATEGORY ARE THEN SUBJECTED TO CLUSTER ANALYSIS ON THE BASIS OF THE SEVEN SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS, AND THE RESULTING GROUPS ARE INVESTIGATED FURTHER IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY DISTINCTIVE CLUSTERS AND UNDERLYING PATTERNS OF SOCIAL CONDITIONS. A GROUP OF 'MODEL' LOW CRIME COMMUNITIES IS IDENTIFIED - VIRTUALLY ALL WERE INCORPORATED 'WHITE NOOSE' SUBURBS OF METROPOLITAN AREAS. RESIDENTIAL INSTABILITY AND LARGE POPULATION SIZE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH TWO OF THE HIGH CRIME GROUPS, WHICH INCLUDE STEROTYPICAL CRIME PROBLEM CITIES SUCH AS DETROIT, CHICAGO, AND KANSAS CITY. THE MEMBER CITIES CONSTITUTING EACH OF THE EIGHT GROUPS ARE DOCUMENTED, AND THE POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED.