REGIONAL SUBCULTURE AND HOMICIDE - AN EXAMINATION OF THE GASTIL-HACKNEY THESIS

• NCJ Number: 16190
• Journal: American Sociological Review Volume: 39 Issue: 5 Dated: (OCTOBER 1974) Pages: 714-724
• Author(s): C LOFTIN; R H HILL
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 11 pages
• Corporate Author: American Sociological Review
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

CRITIQUE OF THE THEORY THAT THE HIGH LEVELS OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE WHICH CHARACTERIZE THE SOUTH ARE LARGELY THE RESULT OF UNIQUE CULTURAL FACTORS THAT EXIST INDEPENDENTLY OF THE EFFECTS OF SITUATIONAL VARIABLES.

Abstract

THE RESEARCH DESIGNS USED IN GASTIL AND HACKNEYS INDEPENDENTLY CONDUCTED STUDIES ARE SUMMARIZED AND DISCUSSED. THE AUTHORS ARGUE THAT THE PROCEDURES USED TO ESTIMATE CULTURAL AND NON-CULTURAL EFFECTS ARE BIASED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CULTURE OF VIOLENCE HYPOTHESIS. THEY PRESENT THEIR OWN REGRESSION ANALYSIS OF STATE HOMICIDE RATES USING SLIGHTLY, MODIFIED PROCEDURES. THE RESULTS OBTAINED POINT TO A CLOSE CORRELATION BETWEEN SOCIOECONOMIC VARIABLES AND STATE HOMICIDE RATES. OTHER THEORETICAL, AND TECHNICAL PROBLEMS IMPORTANT IN COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE, SUCH AS AGGREGATION BIAS, MULTICOLLINEARITY, AND INTERDEPENDENCE OF CASES, ARE ALSO CONSIDERED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED.