NCJ Number
37203
Date Published
1976
Length
15 pages
Annotation
THIS ANALYTICAL METHOD TESTED THE HYPOTHESIS THAT VARIATIONS IN CRIME RATES NOT EXPLAINED OR PREDICTED BY SOCIOECONOMIC VARIABLES WOULD IDENTIFY AREAS WITH CRIME OR CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROBLEMS AMENABLE TO SOLUTION.
Abstract
A MULTIVARIATE REGRESSION ANALYSIS WAS CARRIED OUT FOR SEVERAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM INDICATORS (THE DEPENDENT VARIABLES), INCLUDING THE CRIME RATE FOR ALL TYPES OF CRIMES TOGETHER, THE CRIME RATE FOR PART ONE CRIMES ONLY (HOMICIDE, RAPE, ROBBERY, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, BURGLARY, AND THEFT), THE EXPENDITURE ON POLICE SERVICES, AND THE NUMBER OF ADULT ARRESTS. THOSE MINNESOTA COUNTIES HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY MORE PROBLEMS THAN OTHERS OF COMPARABLE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STATUS WERE IDENTIFIED AND ARE PRESENTED ON LISTS OF TARGET COUNTIES FOR EACH SYSTEM INDICATOR. COUNTIES WERE COMPARED BASED ON THE FOLLOWING SOCIOECONOMIC VARIABLES: POPULATION SIZE, THE PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION THAT ARE JUVENILES, THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, AND THE AVERAGE FAMILY INCOME. INCLUDED AS POTENTIAL EXPLANATORY VARIABLES WERE THE LEVELS OF EXPENDITURES FOR POLICE, COURTS, AND CORRECTIONS IN EACH COUNTY. TECHNICAL DETAILS OF THE REGRESSION ANALYSIS ARE REPORTED IN THE APPENDIX.