SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF CRIMINAL OFFENSES BY STATE, 1970-76

• NCJ Number: 65871
• Journal: Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1980) Pages: 4-25
• Author(s): G S KOWALSKI; R L DITTMANN; W L BUNG
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 22 pages
• Sale Source: National Council on Crime and Delinquency; UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRICE QUOTED FOR NCCD IS FOR SINGLE ISSUE.

Annotation

ANALYSIS OF CRIME RATES USING THE UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS (UCR) OF 1970 TO 1976 SHOWS THAT VIOLENT CRIME, WITH SOME EXCEPTIONS, IS MOVING AWAY FROM THE NORTH AND EAST TO THE SUN BELT AND WEST.

Abstract

EXAMINATION OF STATE CRIME RATES FOR 1970-76 LEADS TO THE CONCLUSION THAT PATTERNS OF OFFENSES INITIALLY DESCRIBED IN 1938 HAVE REMAINED FAIRLY CONSISTENT OVER THE 42 YEARS COVERED. FURTHERMORE, WHEN TYPES OF CRIME ARE LOOKED AT IN TWO WAYS--INTERCORRELATIONS BETWEEN OFFENSES AND THE SUM OF CORRELATIONS FOR EACH INDEX CRIME AND SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF CRIME RATES BY STATES--SEVERAL PATTERNS OF INCIDENCE ARE NOTABLE. FOR INSTANCE HIGH RATES OF HOMICIDE CONTINUE TO BE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE SOUTH. THE CRIME OF RAPE APPEARS TO HAVE BECOME MOST FREQUENT IN THE WESTERN STATES. ALSO, RAPE HAS BEGUN TO EXHIBIT A SPATIAL AFFINITY WITH BOTH OTHER VIOLENT CRIMES AND PROPERTY CRIMES. THE INDEX OFFENSE OF ROBBERY CONTINUES TO OCCUR MOST FREQUENTLY IN URBANIZED STATES, ALONG A COMPRESSED EAST-WEST AXIS. OF THE THREE INDEX CRIMES, BURGLARY AND LARCENY OCCUR MOST FREQUENTLY IN THE WEST. OF THE 10 STATES FALLING INTO THE HIGHEST QUINTILE FOR BURGLARY, 8 ARE WESTERN. VEHICLE THEFT IS THE NOTABLE EXCEPTION TO WESTERN DOMINANCE OF CRIMES OF OPPORTUNITY; THE HIGH-RATE AREAS FOR THIS CRIME SEEM TO BE ALMOST EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN THE EAST AND THE WEST. ALTHOUGH SUCH FINDINGS SUPPORT THE ASSUMPTION OF REGIONAL PATTERNS OF CRIME, THEY LEAVE UNANSWERED THE QUESTION OF WHAT REGIONAL FACTORS ACCOUNT FOR THESE PATTERNS. TO THIS END, FURTHER RESEARCH ON THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURE OR SUBCULTURE ON CONDUCT IS NEEDED. HOWEVER, RECOGNITION MUST BE GRANTED TO THE INFLUENCE OF STRUCTURAL FACTORS, SUCH AS POPULATION COMPOSITION, SOCIOECONOMIC MAKEUP, DIFFERENTIAL OPPORTUNITY STRUCTURES FOR COMMITTING CRIME, AND SOCIAL CHANGE RATES. ANY NATIONAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE CRIME SHOULD BE BASED ON RECOGNITION OF REGIONAL DISSIMILARITIES IN CRIME DISTRIBUTION AND PERHAPS INCREASED ATTENTION TO THOSE REGIONS WITH UNUSUALLY ABERRANT PATTERNS. PROBLEMS BEARING ON USE AND INTERPRETATION OF UCR STATISTICS ARE REVIEWED. TABLES, MAPS, FOOTNOTES, AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--PRG)