MICROANALYSIS OF ASSAULTS ON POLICE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS

• NCJ Number: 27864
• Author(s): P N Morrison; C K Meyer
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 30 pages
• Grant Number(s): 73-TA-06-0004; 73-DF-06-0053
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: University of Oklahoma
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; University of Oklahoma
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AS PART OF A LARGER STUDY OF ASSAULTS ON POLICE CONDUCTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA, THIS STUDY SOUGHT TO DETERMINE FACTORS HAVING THE GREATEST IMPACT ON POLICE ASSAULTS AND TESTED A MODEL OF ASSAULT CAUSATION.

Abstract

TWO TYPES OF FACTORS WERE INVESTIGATED: THOSE REPRESENTING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS SUCH AS SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS, AND THOSE INVOLVING POLICE ACTIVITIES. FIVE VARIABLES WERE FOUND TO EXPLAIN 85 PERCENT OF THE VARIATION IN ASSAULT FREQUENCY. THESE WERE PERCENT OF FAMILIES WITH FEMALE HEADS, PERCENT TOTAL POLICE ACTIVITY, PERCENT OF ARRESTS FOR AUTO THEFT, PERCENT OF ARRESTS FOR SEX OFFENSES OTHER THAN RAPE AND PROSTITUTION, AND PERCENT OF THE POPULATION 65 AND OLDER. A CAUSAL MODEL IS CONSTRUCTED BASED ON THE HYPOTHESIZED MODEL SHOWS A DEGREE OF CAUSALITY THAT ESTABLISHES ITS FEASIBILITY FOR USE IN SIMILAR ANALYSES ON A LARGER SCALE. FOR OTHER REPORTS OF THE POLICE ASSAULTS STUDY, SEE NCJ-27926, 27927, 27929, 27930, 27932, 27862, 27863, AND 27867. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)