Sources of Variation in U. S. City Crime, 1950 and 1960

Abstract

This article presents statistical materials bearing on the ques tion of whether the variation in city crime may be resolved into a relatively small number of statistical components which have a recognizable sociological meaning. Two basic series of data are included: (1) seven major offense rates and 28 social, econ nomic and demographic characteristics for U.S. cities, 100,000 and over, 1950; (2) seven major offense rates and 26 social, eco nomic, and demographic characteristics for U.S. cities, 100,000 and over, 1960. The intercorrelations among variables in each series are given, along with their respective loadings after rota tion on the first five factors as obtained by the method of prin cipal components. Partial correlations with age, sex, and num ber of inhabitants held constant and their principal factors are also given. The results of the factor analysis disclosed that the incidence of crimes against the person was related to a group factor which was tentatively designated "minority relations," and that the incidence of crimes against property was related to a group fac tor tentatively named "anomie." Taking both minority relations and anomie as indices of normative conflict and confusion, the general conclusion is reached that city crime varies with the degree of differential social disorganization.