An Ecological Assessment of Property and Violent Crime Rates Across a Latino Urban Landscape: The Role of Social Disorganization and Institutional Anomie Theory

Authors

Jeffrey Michael Cancino, Texas State University-San Marcos
Sean P. Varano, Roger Williams UniversityFollow
Joseph A. Schafer, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Roger Enriquez, University of Texas-San Antonio

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2007

Comments

In: Western Criminology Review, Vol. 8, No. 1, 2007.

Abstract

The present research put forth an integrated theoretical framework aimed at providing a more holistic community- level approach explaining crime across a heavily populated Latino city. Guided by social disorganization and institutional anomie theory, this study used several data sources and OLS regression techniques to examine the impact of social disorganization, economic and noneconomic institutional characteristics on rates of property and violent crime across 1,016 census block groups in San Antonio, Texas. While several findings emerged, interactions between alcohol density and concentrated disadvantage were significant and positively associated with property and violent crime. Interactions between welfare generosity and concentrated disadvantage were significant and negatively associated with the outcomes.

Recommended Citation

Cancino, Jeffrey M., Sean P. Varano, Joseph A. Schafer, and Roger Enriquez. 2007. "An ecological assessment of property and violent crime rates across a Latino urban landscape: the role of social disorganization and institutional anomie theory." Western Criminology Review 8(1): 69-87.