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ECONOMIC CRISES AND CRIME - CORRELATIONS BETWEEN THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY, DEVIANCE AND THE CONTROL OF DEVIANCE

NCJ Number
35597
Author(s)
ANON
Date Published
1976
Length
243 pages
Annotation
THIS BOOK REPORTS ON RESEARCH EFFORTS WHICH EXPLORED A SERIES OF ISSUES RELATING TO THE CRIME-CONDUCIVE NATURE OF ECONOMIC CHANGES, PARTICULARLY DOWNTURNS.
Abstract
CONSIDERED FIRST IS A TIME-SERIES ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF THE ECONOMY ON CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, BASED ON DATA FROM THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, ENGLAND AND WALES, AND SCOTLAND FOR 1900-1975. ALSO INCLUDED ARE RESEARCH ON THE CORRELATION BETWEEN UNEMPLOYMENT AND CRIME RATES AND A RURAL CASE STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHRONIC FOOD SHORTAGES, FAMINE CRISES, AND CRIME. A GENERAL DISCUSSION OF CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORY AS IT REFERS TO ECONOMIC DISTRESS-DEVIANCE LINKAGES PREFACES THE REPORT. IN IT THE AUTHOR SUMMARIZES THE PRINCIPAL FINDINGS OR HYPOTHESES DERIVED FROM THE RESEARCH AND DISCUSSES POLICY CONCLUSIONS. RESEARCH FINDINGS ARE AS FOLLOWS: ECONOMIC GROWTH CORRELATES POSITIVELY WITH HIGHER RATES FOR MOST CATEGORIES OF REPORTED CRIME; DOWNTURNS ARE MARKED BY A SHARPER INCREASE OF MOST CATEGORIES OF REPORTED CRIME; THERE IS A POSITIVE CORRELATION BETWEEN UNEMPLOYMENT AND CRIME JUVENILE DELINQUENCY; AND THE FLOW OF REFERRALS TO DEVIANCE-ORIENTED INSTITUTIONS RISES SHARPLY IN PERIODS ECONOMIC DISTRESS.