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Economic Sources of Homicide - Reestimating The Effects of Poverty and Inequality

NCJ Number
93843
Journal
American Sociological Review Volume: 49 Issue: 2 Dated: (April 1984) Pages: 283-289
Author(s)
K R Williams
Date Published
1984
Length
7 pages
Annotation
A tradition of research has consistently found that poverty is a major economic source of homicide. Two studies have recently presented findings that call this research tradition into question.
Abstract
The studies are reviewed, and it is argued that these contradictory findings are the result of an incorrect specification of the relationship between poverty and the homicide rate. Revised estimates of the effect of poverty are reported which show that it is a significant positive predictor of the homicide rate for a sample of SMSA's (N-125) when the nonlinear form of the relationship is taken into account. That effect, however, appears to vary by the regional location of SMSA's, that is, whether they are in the South or non-South. The implications of the findings for economic and subcultural explanations of homicide are briefly discussed. (Author abstract)

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