Local Political Structures and Violent Crime in U.S. Cities: Patterns of Association in a Longitudinal Panel Study

• NCJ Number: 237412
• Journal: Criminal Justice Policy Review Volume: 22 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2011 Pages: 448-470
• Author(s): Ling Ren; Jihong Zhao; Nicholas P. Lovrich
• Date Published: December 2011
• Length: 23 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study explored the patterned ways in which local political structures might affect crime.

Abstract

To date, few criminological studies have explored the patterned ways in which local political structures might affect crime. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of local political structures on variations in violent crime rates in U.S. cities. A longitudinal data set collected from the same 280 cities in 1993, 1996, 2000, and 2003 is used to look into this question. Results from negative binomial fixed-effects panel analyses indicate that local government structures make only a limited contribution to variation in violent crime and that impact on violent crime is a conditioned effect in association with a relative deprivation index. Socioeconomic variables associated with relative deprivation consistently predict violent crime levels across U.S. cities, largely irrespective of the character of their local political structures. (Published Abstract)