ETIOLOGY OF URBAN CRIME - AN ECOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

• NCJ Number: 13758
• Journal: Criminology Volume: 11 Issue: 4 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1974) Pages: 439-461
• Author(s): R W BEASLEY; G ANTUNES
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 23 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DETERMINANTS OF RATES OF SERIOUS CRIME, WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO HOUSTON, TEXAS.

Abstract

DATA ON SERIOUS CRIME WAS ANALYZED WITH A VARIETY OF REGRESSION TECHNIQUES-BIVARIATE REGRESSION, MULTIPLE REGRESSION, AND POLYNOMIAL REGRESSION. BIVARIATE CORRELATIONAL ANALYSIS PROVIDED AN INDICATION OF THE LEVEL OF ASSOCIATION BETWEEN EACH DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLE AND RATES OF CRIME. WHILE SOCIAL STRESS WAS THE MAJOR CAUSE OF CRIME AGAINST PERSONS, ECONOMIC GAIN EMERGED AS THE PRIMARY MOTIVATION FOR PROPERTY CRIME. THE APPLICATION OF MULTIPLE REGRESSION ANALYSIS INDICATED THAT MEDIAN INCOME AND POPULATION DENSITY WERE THE VARIABLES POSSESSING THE GREATEST PREDICTIVE VALUE. FURTHER, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY MAJOR IMPACT FROM LIVING IN A GHETTO. ANALYSIS WITH SECOND-ORDER POLYNOMIAL REGRESSIONS ALSO REVEALED POPULATION DENSITY AND MEDIAN INCOME AS THE STRONGEST CORRELATES OF CRIME RATES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)