NCJ Number
32464
Journal
American Behavioral Scientist Volume: 18 Issue: 6 Dated: (JULY/AUGUST 1975) Pages: 843-860
Date Published
1975
Length
18 pages
Annotation
EXAMINATION OF THE SOUNDNESS OF THE AVAILABLE EVIDENCE FOR AND AGAINST THE IMPORTANCE OF URBAN DENSITY AND HOUSING OVERCROWDING IN EXPLAINING THE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF CRIME.
Abstract
SEVEN INTRACITY STUDIES OF DENSITY HAVE INCLUDED CRIME OR DELINQUENCY AS A DEPENDENT VARIABLE. THE PRIMARY METHODOLOGICAL DEFECTS OF THE STUDIES ARE EXCESSIVE AGGREGATION OF DATA, POORLY CHOSEN INDICATORS OR VARIABLES, AND LACK OF STATISTICAL CONTROL AND IMPROPER USE OR REPORTING OF STATISTICS. THE EVIDENCE POINTS TOWARD OVERCROWDING BEING THE MORE IMPORTANT VARIABLE IN PREDICTING BOTH THE OCCURRENCE OF CRIME AND THE RESIDENTIAL LOCATION OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS; HOWEVER, ITS EFFECTS APPEAR TO BE SMALLER THAN THOSE OF SOCIOSTRUCTURAL VARIABLES. NEVERTHELESS, DEFINITIVE CONCLUSIONS MUST AWAIT THE RESULTS OF FUTURE RESEARCH CONDUCTED ON LARGE CITIES USING BLOCK DATA. THE PROCESS BY WHICH OVERCROWDING LEADS TO CRIME HAS NOT YET BEEN CLARIFIED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)