REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF HOMICIDE RATES IN THE UNITED STATES (FROM SOCIAL SYSTEMS, CRIME DELINQUENCY, AND DEVIANCE A READER IN STRUCTURALLY ORIENTED STUDIES, 1976, BY GLORIA COUNT-VAN MANEN - SEE NCJ-46530)

• NCJ Number: 46532
• Author(s): W G DOERNER
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: University Press of America
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FROM CRIMINOLOGY, V 13, N 1 (MAY 1975)

Annotation

INTERREGIONAL AND INTRAREGIONAL VARIANCE IN HOMICIDE RATES DURING 1969 IS EXAMINED TO TEST HYPOTHESES RELATED TO THE CONCEPT OF THE SOUTH AS A REGIONAL CULTURE OF VIOLENCE.

Abstract

IN 1969, 14 OF 16 SOUTHERN STATES EXCEEDED THE NATIONAL HOMICIDE RATE. ANALYSIS BY COUNTY SHOWS THAT STATES ARE NOT HOMOGENEOUS UNITS WITH RESPECT TO HOMICIDE RATES. ALTHOUGH THE SOUTH AS A BROAD GEOGRAPHICAL DIVISION IS RELATIVELY HOMOGENEOUS IN THIS RESPECT, THERE ARE INTRAREGIONAL VARIATIONS IN HOMOGENEITY WITHIN THE SOUTH. SUCH VARIATIONS SUGGEST A NEED TO REVISE R.D. GASTIL'S 'INDEX OF SOUTHERNNESS.' IT IS POINTED OUT THAT DEMONSTRATION OF SIGNIFICANT REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN HOMICIDE RATES NEITHER CONFIRMS NOR DENIES THE CONCEPT OF SUBCULTURES OF VIOLENCE. THE SUBCULTURAL THESIS WILL REMAIN ARGUMENTATIVE UNTIL IT CAN BE ESTABLISHED EMPIRICALLY WHETHER VALUE SYSTEMS OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT FROM THE DOMINANT VALUE SYSTEM. THE POSSIBILITY IS ALSO RAISED THAT HOMICIDES ARE INDICATIVE OF THEORETICAL PHENOMENA ONLY AT CERTAIN LEVELS OF ANALYSIS. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)