Structural Indicators of Index Crime Rates in Metropolitan Counties for 1990 and 2000

This study examines the relationship between structural features common to research within social disorganization and strain theory frameworks of metropolitan counties in 1990 and 2000 and their crime rates. It hypothesizes that economic inequality, a measure of relative deprivation, will be a more consistent structural indicator of crime than poverty, a measure of absolute deprivation. Twelve independent structural variables based on 1990 and 2000 Census data are placed in ordinary least-squares regression models to predict crime rates for 10 different Uniform Crime Report types. Results support this hypothesis, as well as identify a number of other structural indicators that are consistently significantly correlated to crime as predicted by both theories. Finally, I discuss the potential for integration of social disorganization and strain theories, which appear to complement rather than contradict each other.

Name thesis:degree_name

MA

Level thesis:degree_level

Worldwide Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Graduate Center for Social and Public Policy

Year dc:date.available

2007

Author dc:creator

• Becker, Jacob

Contributors dc:contributor

• Michael Irwin
• Norman Conti

• economics
• income
• index crimes
• inequality
• social disorganization
• strain

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/20

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dsc.duq.edu:etd-1019