NCJ Number
84407
Date Published
1980
Length
213 pages
Annotation
This study analyzed the interrelationships of various macrosocioeconomic variables and crime rates in 11 nations having the highest Gross National Products (GNP'S) between 1950-74.
Abstract
The nations included Austria, Denmark, France, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom (Britain and Wales), and West Germany. The crime growth rate for each country was used as the dependent variable. Three crime growth periods were studied: 1953-74, 1963-74, and 1970-74. The independent variables were the macrosocioeconomic variables identified in international publications, specifically those which could be subsumed within Empey's six classifications of crime theory. Over 350 macrosocioeconomic variables were selected. A simple correlation program showed about 200 variables with simple correlation associations with crime growth rates. These same 200 variables were then arranged in multiregression operation against the 3 crime growth periods and tested for significance in 3 separate multivariate runs. Eight variables survived all these processes, including agricultural production as a percentage of GNP, the percentage native born citizens, percentage of dwellings with piped water, per capita cinema visits, per capital GNP, per capita output of residential construction, and social security expenditures as a percent of total Government expenditures. The study results seem to substantiate the strain and social deviance theories. Tables and references are included. (Author abstract modified)