DOI: 10.3886/icpsr03260
title: Spatial Analysis of Crime in Appalachia [United States], 1977-1996
title: Archival Version

description: This research project was designed to demonstrate the
 contributions that Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial
 analysis procedures can make to the study of crime patterns in a
 largely nonmetropolitan region of the United States. The project
 examined the extent to which the relationship between various
 structural factors and crime varied across metropolitan and
 nonmetropolitan locations in Appalachia over time. To investigate the
 spatial patterns of crime, a georeferenced dataset was compiled at the
 county level for each of the 399 counties comprising the Appalachian
 region. The data came from numerous secondary data sources, including
 the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reports, the
 Decennial Census of the United States, the Department of Agriculture,
 and the Appalachian Regional Commission. Data were gathered on the
 demographic distribution, change, and composition of each county, as
 well as other socioeconomic indicators. The dependent variables were
 index crime rates derived from the Uniform Crime Reports, with
 separate variables for violent and property crimes. These data were
 integrated into a GIS database in order to enhance the research with
 respect to: (1) data integration and visualization, (2) exploratory
 spatial analysis, and (3) confirmatory spatial analysis and
 statistical modeling. Part 1 contains variables for Appalachian
 subregions, Beale county codes, distress codes, number of families and
 households, population size, racial and age composition of population,
 dependency ratio, population growth, number of births and deaths, net
 migration, education, household composition, median family income,
 male and female employment status, and mobility. Part 2 variables
 include county identifiers plus numbers of total index crimes, violent
 index crimes, property index crimes, homicides, rapes, robberies,
 assaults, burglaries, larcenies, and motor vehicle thefts annually
from 1977 to 1996.
description: The spatial dynamics of crime in nonmetropolitan
 locations can be understood as a product of social, economic, and
 demographic influences that are often unique to those areas. Thus
 there is a need for research on nonmetropolitan crime that takes
 location and geographic context seriously. This research project was
 designed to demonstrate the contributions that Geographic Information
 Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis procedures can make to the study of
 crime patterns in a largely nonmetropolitan region of the United
 States. The project examined the extent to which the relationship
 between various structural factors and crime varied across
 metropolitan and nonmetropolitan locations in Appalachia over
 time. GIS and crime mapping technologies enabled the researcher to
 look more rigorously at the spatial patterns and ecological contexts
of crime.
description: To investigate the spatial patterns of crime for
 this project, a georeferenced dataset was compiled at the county level
 for each of the 399 counties comprising the Appalachian region. The
 data came from numerous secondary data sources, including the Federal
 Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reports, the Decennial Census of
 the United States, the Department of Agriculture, and the Appalachian
 Regional Commission. Data were gathered on the demographic
 distribution, change, and composition of each county, as well as other
 socioeconomic indicators. The dependent variables were index crime
 rates derived from the Uniform Crime Reports, with separate variables
 for violent and property crimes. These data were integrated into a GIS
 database in order to enhance the research with respect to: (1) data
 integration and visualization, (2) exploratory spatial analysis, and
 (3) confirmatory spatial analysis and statistical modeling. In order
 to portray the contextual diversity of crime in Appalachia, three
 different county classifications, each based on different criteria,
 were employed: (1) Appalachian subregions, consisting of North,
 Central, and South Appalachia, (2) Beale county codes based on
 metro-nonmetro designations, population size, and adjacency to
 metropolitan counties, and (3) distressed county codes based on
measures of poverty, unemployment, and per capita income.
description: Part 1 contains variables for Appalachian
 subregions, Beale county codes, distress codes, number of families and
 households, population size, racial and age composition of population,
 dependency ratio, population growth, number of births and deaths, net
 migration, education, household composition, median family income,
 male and female employment status, and mobility. Part 2 variables
 include county identifiers plus numbers of total index crimes, violent
 index crimes, property index crimes, homicides, rapes, robberies,
 assaults, burglaries, larcenies, and motor vehicle thefts annually
from 1977 to 1996.
description: Response Rates: Not applicable.
description: Presence of Common Scales: None.
description: Datasets: 
DS0: Study-Level Files
DS1: Demographic Data
DS2: Crime Data
description: All counties comprising the Appalachian region.
description: The user guide and codebook are provided by ICPSR as a
 Portable Document Format (PDF) file. The PDF file format was developed
 by Adobe Systems Incorporated and can be accessed using PDF reader
 software, such as the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Information on how to
 obtain a copy of the Acrobat Reader is provided on the ICPSR Web
site.