NCJ Number
115866
Journal
Criminology Volume: 27 Issue: 1 Dated: (February 1989) Pages: 57-78
Date Published
1989
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This study tests Richard Easterlin's theory of relative young adult cohort size on age specific crime rates, concluding that there is evidence to support the theory.
Abstract
The study includes age specific rates and measures of relative cohort size and controls for age and period in an age period relative cohort size model. The study uses arrest data from the Uniform Crime Reports (Part 1 crimes) for 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, and 1985. The data for the property crimes of robbery, burglary, and larceny provide some support for Easterlin's hypothesis that relatively large cohorts are arrested at higher rates than smaller cohorts. Although these relationships were small in comparison to those between age or period and age-specific crime rate, they were generally statistically significant and were replicated with data from 1962, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1982, and 1987. However, relative cohort size seems to be unrelated to motor vehicle, theft, and assaultive crimes provide little consistent support for Easterlin's theory. 38 footnotes. (Author abstract modified)