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Measures of Opportunity and the Calculation of the Arson Rate The Connection Between Operationalization and Association

NCJ Number
99719
Journal
Journal of Quantitative Criminology Volume: 1 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1985) Pages: 241-268
Author(s)
L E Pettiway
Date Published
1985
Length
28 pages
Annotation
Exploratory research was undertaken to examine the structure of arson rates by using a variety of direct (circumstances associated with the crime) and indirect or predisposing (background characteristics) measures of opportunity as denominators in the calculation of arson rates.
Abstract
Factor analysis was used to reduce a 27 by 27 correlational matrix to 6 significant factors: family dissolution, population density, race/resources, single-family residence, vacancy, and old buildings. This indicates that some measures of risk/opportunity have the same underlying rate structure. By using a factor-base scale (dependent variable) for each factor and a set of independent variables, regression analysis reveals that the operationalization and measurement of the arson rate structure affects the way in which certain variables associate. The nature of the associations, across different measures of the arson rate, appears to change in terms of the way in which different variables associate and the relative importance of the variables, the strength of the relationships, and the direction of associations between independent and dependent variables. Thus, the use of different measures produces different explanatory outcomes. Tables and 37 references are included. (Author abstract modified)

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