NCJ Number
119360
Date Published
1989
Length
24 pages
Annotation
The common view that contemporary violence and lawlessness in the United States results from the nation's frontier heritage is incorrect, because data from the two frontier mining towns of Aurora (Nevada) and Bodie (California) show that both towns experienced far less lawlessness than do most cities and towns in the United States today.
Abstract
Aurora and Bodie were typical frontier mining towns, experiencing booms followed by decline and bust. Men outnumbered women 10 to 1, much of the population was transient, and half of the population was foreign-born. However, robbery of individuals, burglary, and theft rarely occurred, and rape seems to have been nonexistent. The homicides that occurred almost always resulted from gunfights between willing combatants. The old, the weak, the innocent, the young, and the female were not the targets of violent men. In fact, all people in those categories would have been far safer in Aurora or Bodie than they are today in any major United States city or in most smaller cities and towns. In addition, the difference does not rest on the nature of the criminal justice system, because law enforcement officers often had a casual approach to their job and some operated on both sides of the law. The armed citizenry, full or nearly full employment, religion, and a collective sense of optimism may have been more effective deterrents to theft offenses. Figures and reference notes.