NCJ Number
101884
Journal
Sociological Quarterly Volume: 26 Issue: 4 Dated: (Winter 1985) Pages: 491-505
Date Published
1985
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This replication of Roncek and LoBosco's (1983) study of the effects of proximity to San Diego's high schools on crime used 1970 Index Crime data for all of Cleveland's 3,985 residential city blocks.
Abstract
In 1970, there were 17 public high schools, 8 of which were on residential city blocks; adjacent to these schools were 119 additional residential blocks. There also were 13 private high schools, 6 on residential blocks, with 73 adjacent blocks. The present findings closely parallel the San Diego results: proximity to public high schools only increased crime on blocks within a one block range of the school. Size of the school enrollment was not important in explaining crime in its surroundings. An analysis of the effects of other nonresidential land uses in the schools' surroundings on crime supports Roncek and LoBosco's claim that crime effects are due solely to the presence of public high schools, although other land uses affected crime rates near private high schools. While there were differences in the magnitudes of the effects, the substance of the San Diego findings generalizes very well to Cleveland. More generally, it is argued that Wirth's (1938) early arguments about the effect of urbanism on impeding social control can be extended to residential areas within a city. 7 notes and 25 references. (Author abstract modified)