NCJ Number
518
Date Published
1969
Length
124 pages
Annotation
THE FINDINGS OF AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF NATIONAL CRIME, CRIME TRENDS, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES.
Abstract
THE STUDY IS CONCERNED WITH THE 7 FBI INDEX CRIMES HOMICIDE, RAPE, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, ROBBERY, BURGLARY, LARCENY AND AUTO THEFT, AS REPORTED IN THE UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS OF THE FBI FOR THE YEARS 1952-1967 - IN THIS STUDY THE BEHAVIORAL THEORIES OF ECONOMICS ARE APPLIED TO THE CRIME PROBLEM IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WHETHER SUCH AN APPROACH WILL SHED ANY LIGHT ON POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS. ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES APPLIED SHOWED THAT DETERIORATION OF LABOR MARKET OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTHS, INCREASED SCHOOL ENROLLMENT RATES FOR YOUTHS, INADEQUATE GROWTH OF PER-CAPITA EXPENDITURES ON LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND DECLINE IN POLICE EFFECTIVENESS, AS MEASURED BY THE RATIO OF OFFENSES CLEARED BY ARREST TO KNOWN OFFENSES COMMENCING IN THE LATE @50S AND EARLY @60S, HAVE ENCOURAGED CRIMINALITY AND INDUCED HIGHER CRIME RATES. THE STUDY FURTHER SHOWED THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE EFFICIENCY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, NOT WITHSTANDING A DECLINE IN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AS MEASURED AND THAT SUCCESS IN REDUCTION OF INDEX CRIME WILL REQUIRE A TWO-FRONT APPROACH.