RACE, CRIME AND ARRESTS - GREAT BRITAIN

• NCJ Number: 64928
• Journal: Home Office Research Bulletin Issue: 8 Dated: (1979) Pages: 7-13
• Author(s): T REES; P STEVENS; C F WILLIS
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: Great Britain Home Office
• Sale Source: Great Britain Home Office
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

A STUDY EXAMINED POSSIBLE CORRELATIONS BETWEEN HIGH CRIME RATES AND MINORITY POPULATIONS IN URBAN CENTERS OF ENGLAND. THE FOCUS WAS ON TWO GROUPS OF RECENT IMMIGRANTS: WEST INDIANS AND ASIANS.

Abstract

SEVEN LOCALES OF GREAT BRITAIN WERE CHOSEN FOR EXAMINATION BECAUSE THE 1971 CENSUS SHOWED THAT THESE CONTAINED 76.6 PERCENT OF ALL PERSONS BORN IN THE WEST INDIES AND 61.6 PERCENT OF ALL PERSONS BORN IN THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT AND RESIDENT IN BRITAIN. WHEN AN ANALYSIS WAS MADE OF THE CORRELATION BETWEEN IMMIGRANT ETHNIC MINORITY PROPORTIONS IN THE POPULATION OF A CONURBATION AND THE RACE OF TOTAL INDICTABLE CRIME, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE TWO WERE NOT RELATED. ARRESTS IN LONDON IN 1975 SHOWED LOWER THAN EXPECTED RATES FOR ASIANS IN ALL CRIMES EXCEPT ASSAULT AND DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH RATES FOR BLACKS IN ALL CRIME. RATES OF ARREST WERE STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS MEASURES OF SOCIAL DISADVANTAGE. POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS FOR THE HIGH ARREST RATES OF BLACKS MAY LIE PARTLY IN THEIR SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES. FOR EXAMPLE, THEIR UNEMPLOYMENT, THOUGH NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO ARREST RATES, WAS DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH IN ALL AREAS. MOREOVER, ARREST FIGURES AND VICTIMS' REPORTS SUGGEST A GREATER PROPENSITY FOR THOSE RESIDENTS TO ENGAGE IN CRIME PARTICULARLY THE LESS SERIOUS TYPES OF STREET CRIME. FINALLY, POLICING OF BLACKS MAY VARY FROM POLICING OF WHITES. FOR EXAMPLE, THE PETTY THEFT ARREST RATE FOR BLACKS IS 15 TIMES THAT OF WHITES. HOWEVER, THE HYPOTHESIS THAT SUSPICIONS OF POLICE OFFICERS BEAR DISPROPORTIONATELY ON BLACKS CANNOT BE SUPPORTED WITH DATA FOR THE TIME BEING. VICTIM IDENTIFICATION OF ASSAILANTS PROVIDES UNRELIABLE INFORMATION ON ETHNIC IDENTITY, SINCE NONWHITES OFTEN ARE DESCRIBED AS 'COLORED,' WITHOUT DISTINCTION BETWEEN BLACK AND ASIAN. MOREOVER, THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT BOTH MINORITIES UNDERREPORT CRIME. THE PROPORTION OF WHITE ATTACKS ON WHITES IS THE EXPECTED, BUT THE PROPORTION OF NONWHITE ATTACKS ON NONWHITE VICTIMS IS PROBABLY MUCH HIGHER THAN REPORTED. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (MRK)