Inner City Crime, Essay Example

The impact that environmental trends has on the overall development and procurement of criminal behaviors is a highly debated and often researched topic.  The research material provided within this case study has provided for a deeper analysis of the relationship that population size and population density have on harboring criminal tendencies.  The author utilizes previous empirical data and research to suggest that urban and suburban communities directly lead to an increase in criminal behaviors.  This is briefly explained and rationalized by the fact that greater populations often lead to an increase in impoverished citizens.  It is the direct experience of trying to overcome the negative impact of poverty that forces people to resort to criminal behaviors as simple means of survival.  Through attempting to validate this notion, the author of this study has created an observational and research format that utilizes publically reported data.

The dependent variables seen within this case study are the overall criminal statistics that are being determined.  The crime rates are taken from the official FBI Uniform Crime Reports program from state and local reporting precincts.  Furthermore, the dependent variables are the population density gradient, percentage of the population living in the center of the metropolitan city, average commuting time to work, and finally the age, race, ethnic and median income demographics within the areas.  These variables are not standard and can change at any given time, which is why they are the independent variables.  Perhaps the most apparent independent variables that are controlled by the author of the study are the population areas that are being studied, as well as the type of population statistics that are accepted.  The author chooses to utilize county population reports instead of local reports based on the fact that the country populations figures are likely more complete and accurate.  Because this study is observation-based, the author has very little control in alternating the variables or the degree to which the variables are utilized.  Therefore, these two main criteria are the key independent variables for this study.

All of these variables, both dependent and independent, are operationalized by maintaining a standard evaluation method.  The variables will maintain a specific quantitative figure that is used to evaluate the overall value of the data.  Many of the population demographics are operationalized through percentages as compared to the entire population.  Meanwhile, the income and specific population sizes are concrete numbers that maintain a specific value amount.  Because these data can be specifically quantified, the quality of the research is increased through a similar increase in data accuracy.  These data are naturally operationalized.  The operationalization of the variables does not occur based on any steps or actions the researchers have taken.  Instead, the data is automatically compiled in a quantified and operationalized format.  Furthermore, these variables are directly related to the overall unit of analysis.  The unit of analysis is the population’s criminal activity.  This unit is critical to keeping the study focused on what is being studied and how the variable relationships interact to support or refute the author’s hypotheses.

The goal of the study is to support the hypothesis that suburbanization leads to higher crime levels, or an increase in population density creates a direct relationship with increased criminal activity.  The author is also attempting to support the hypothesis that an increase in poverty, population density in the city center, and minority racial or ethnic populations will cause an increase in criminal activity.  Suburbanization is evaluated based on the previously mentioned variables, and the travel time to work can likely be used to explain a strong population density coefficient.  Nevertheless, the purpose of the study is to support the overall hypothesis that criminal activity increases as population size increases.  Consequently, the empirical data and previous literature are also being evaluated for legitimacy and accuracy on the topic.

The strength of this study primarily comes in its ability to increase attention to a highly debated topic.  Although statistical trends would suggest greater criminal activity in areas of greater population sizes, the author is attempting to validate these trends through using publically reported data that already exists through the United States Census and the FBI UCR programs.  This provides an easy method for the researchers to compile research data while also allowing for an easier method to analyze the relationship of the independent and dependent variables.  On the surface, this study would appear to cover a broad range of correlative variables that can provide a specific relational conclusion to support the author’s hypothesis.  However, this may not exactly be the case as there are several areas of the study that are flawed.

The major weaknesses of this study are that improper data is being utilized to define a relationship correlation between multiple variables.  The study specifically states that the FBI UCR program is voluntary and not always accurate in many of the city and county stations providing complete records of its criminal activity or population sizes.  While the author suggests using county reporting data as being more accurate than city-reported statistics, the author’s continue to have a lack of verifiable and complete data.  Perhaps, the better format would be to concentrate the research on one specific metropolitan or suburbanized geographic area as opposed to all areas.  The completeness and accuracy of the data is questionable, and therefore the overall structure of the study is flawed.  The author’s goal of the study is valuable, but the overall value of the data utilized is lacking.