NCJ Number
132440
Journal
American Demographics Volume: 12 Issue: 11 Dated: (November 1990) Pages: 24-27,30
Date Published
1990
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This study used data from the Census Bureau and the FBI to examine the link between population growth and serious crimes as reported in the FBI's Crime Index.
Abstract
The analysis found that 10 of the 15 fastest-growing States also are among the 15 States with the highest crime rates. Those 10 States in order of crime rate are Florida, Texas, Arizona, Washington, California, New Mexico, Nevada, Georgia, Colorado, and Hawaii. Seven of the 10 fastest-growing States are in the top 10 for crime rates. Nevada is number one in population growth and number eight in crime. Arizona is number three in growth and number three in crime. Florida is number four in growth and number one in crime, and California is number five in growth and number six in crime. Texas has the sixth highest population growth rate and the second highest crime rate. Conversely, 8 of the slowest-growing States are among the 15 States with the Nation's lowest crime rates. These are North Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kentucky, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Iowa, and West Virginia. Exceptions to this pattern can be explained by looking at the share of the State's population that lives in big cities. The slow-growth, high-crime States have large urban centers. High-growth, low-crime States have few large cities and many rural residents. This article provides a chart that shows population growth for 1980-88, percent metropolitan for 1988, and crime index for 1988 for each of the 50 states.