HOUSING PATTERNS AND BURGLARY IN A MEDIUM-SIZED AMERICAN CITY (FROM CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNING, 1977 BY JOSEPH E SCOTT, AND SIMON DINITZ - SEE NCJ-44975)

• NCJ Number: 44979
• Author(s): P J BRANTINGHAM; P L BRANTINGHAM
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: Praeger Publishers
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BURGLARY RATES AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS (MIXTURE OF HOUSING TYPES, COSTS, RENTS, RACIAL DISTRIBUTIONS) OF RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS IN TALLAHASSEE, FLA., IS EXAMINED.

Abstract

CRIME DATA FROM POLICE FILES AND HOUSING PATTERN DATA FROM CENSUS REPORTS WERE ANALYZED THROUGH CONTINGENCY TABLES AND MEAN RATE BREAKDOWNS. HIGH BURGLARY RATES ARE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH EITHER HIGH AVERAGE COST OF HOUSING OR HIGH AVERAGE RENT. RENTAL AREAS HAVE HIGHER BURGLARY RATES THAN AREAS IN WHICH PRIVATELY OWNED HOMES PREDOMINATE. HOWEVER, IT APPEARS TO BE THE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING CHARACTERISTIC OF BLOCKS THAT ATTRACTS BURGLARS, NOT THE PRESENCE OF RENTERS ALONE. BURGLARY RATES ARE HIGH IN APARTMENT AREAS AND INCREASE AS THE PERCENTAGE OF MULTIFAMILY DWELLINGS PER BLOCK INCREASES. RACIALLY INTEGRATED BLOCKS HAVE HIGHER BURGLARY RATES THAN BLOCKS THAT ARE PRIMARILY BLACK OR WHITE. THE BURGLARY RATE IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH APARTMENT COMPOSITION IN BLOCKS THAT ARE UNDER 25 PERCENT WHITE. OVER 18 PERCENT OF THE PREDOMINANTLY WHITE BLOCKS WITH HIGH APARTMENT PERCENTAGES HAVE RATES OF OVER 9 BURGLARIES PER 100 DWELLING UNITS. IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.