NCJ Number
88390
Journal
Economic Geography Volume: 58 Issue: 1 Dated: (1982) Pages: 29-44
Date Published
1982
Length
16 pages
Annotation
The geographic distribution of looting during the 1977 electrical power blackout in New York City is the basis for this study assessing the correlation between looting sites and poor residential areas in the city.
Abstract
The study regressed the number of poor persons, as a surrogate measure of a complex of social and economic factors, on the number of looted stores. One-half of the interzone variation in the number of looted stores was accounted for by the interzone variation in number of poor persons. The overall data on arrestees' characteristics were biased in favor of the more stable working class community members. Since arrestees were not a representative sample of the looters, no one is justified in drawing definitive conclusions about looters' characteristics from the statistics on arrestees' characteristics. However, there is some support for the contention that 'civility,' or a sense of lawful conduct by citizens, is related to prosperity. Unless the central cities are revitalized, civility will be elusive. Study limitations are discussed. Maps, footnotes, tables, and 29 references are included.