U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Library & Multimedia
 Spreading the Wealth: The Effect of the Distribution of Income and Race/Ethnicity Across Households and Neighborhoods on City Crime Trajectories
NCJ Number
              232084

Author(s)
          John R. Hipp
Date Published

October 2010
Length
              63 pages
Annotation
              This study examined the effect of the distribution of income and race/ethnicity across households and neighborhoods on the change in crime rates over a 30-year period in 352 cities that experienced a large growth in population after World War II.
Abstract
              The study found that whereas income inequality increases the amount of crime in cities, the distribution of this inequality across the census tracts of the city has significant interaction effects. In cities with high levels of income inequality, higher levels of economic segregation was linked to much higher levels of the types of crime studied (aggravated assaults, robberies, burglaries, and motor vehicle thefts). In contrast, for cities with low levels of income inequality, it is the mixing of households in neighborhoods with varying levels of income that leads to higher levels of crime.  There was also an important interaction between the racial/ethnic composition of the city and how these groups were distributed across the city's neighborhoods. In cities with high levels of racial/ethnic heterogeneity, higher levels of segregation of these groups was linked to significantly high overall levels of crime.  In cities with low levels of racial/ethnic heterogeneity, greater mixing of groups in neighborhoods increased the crime rate. These findings suggest the need for both a broader and narrower research lens in examining socioeconomic factors linked to crime rates. It is not sufficient for researchers to focus only on what explains the distribution of crime across the spatial landscape of a city. Although such studies are useful in determining why some neighborhoods have higher crime rates than others, it is also important to be able to distinguish between instances in which the spatial distribution of certain characteristics influences the distribution of crime and other instances in which they influence the overall amount of crime in the city. Apparently, the overall level of income inequality and overall level of racial/ethnic heterogeneity in cities turn these into salient dimensions for citizens. 2 tables, 14 figures, and 86 references
      
  
          Additional Details
Grant Number(s)
        2008-IJ-CX-0020


  
  
        
  Agencies
        NIJ-Sponsored


  
  
        
  Publication Type
        Report (Study/Research)


  
  
        
  Award
        Spreading the wealth: The effect of the distribution of income and race/ethnicity across households and neighborhoods on city crime trajectories
    
  
  
Date Published: October 1, 2010
    
          Downloads
        
                      PDF

Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              NIJ Journal
    
      
            
            
            
      Podcasts
    
      
            
            
            
      Publications Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Multimedia Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Software & Databases
    
      
            
            
            
      Datasets
    
      
            
            
            
      PatentsRelated Topics
        
                Assault
        Burglary
        Crime patterns
        Crime rate studies
        Criminology



  
Similar Publications
        
                      Why Getting Inside the "Black Box" Is Important: Examining Treatment Implementation and Outputs in Policing Experiments
                  Shared Struggles? Cumulative Strain Theory and Public Mass Murderers From 1990 to 2014
                  Examining the Geographic Distribution of Victim Nations in Stolen Data Markets
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov