Date of Award

Fall 2003

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Sociology & Criminal Justice

Program/Concentration

Applied Sociology

Committee Director

Melvina T. Sumter

Committee Member

Ivan Y. Sun

Committee Member

James Nolan

Call Number for Print

Special Collections LD4331.S62 H37 2003

Abstract

Using study data collected for a larger research project entitled Project on Policing Neighborhoods in Indianapolis, Indiana, 1996, the relationship between social ties and disorder on neighborhood structural characteristics and crime rates was tested. Using two Structural Equation Models the mediating effects of social ties and disorder on neighborhood structural characteristics and crime received partial support from the analysis of Indianapolis data.

The results revealed that poverty and family disruption exerts a positive impact on crime rates. The results also revealed that neighborhoods with high levels of racial heterogeneity have a negative effect on social ties. As well, the study found that social ties has a significant and positive impact on burglary. The results also revealed that poverty and family disruption does not significantly affect social ties.

Moreover, the mediating variables social ties, physical, and social disorder did not mediate the effect of all neighborhood structural characteristics and crime. Each mediator, however, did mediate between at least one neighborhood structural characteristic and crime. Moreover, social ties mediated between all neighborhood structural characteristics and crime. All intervening variables mediated the effect of poverty and crime rates. Among all intervening variables, social disorder was the most effective mediator overall; it transmitted a large portion of the effect of poverty on crime rates.

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DOI

10.25777/a11g-sp83

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