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Social Disorganization, Latinos and Juvenile Crime in the Texas Borderlands

NCJ Number
238815
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 40 Issue: 2 Dated: March/April 2012 Pages: 152-163
Author(s)
Jonathan Allen; Jeffrey M. Cancino
Date Published
April 2012
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study examined the effects of social disorganization on juvenile property crime rates in a Texas-Mexico border region that is predominately Latino.
Abstract
The study findings show that per capita income negatively and significantly influenced juvenile property crime rates in both rural and urban counties in the study area. In addition, the findings show that ethnic heterogeneity affected juvenile property crime rates differently in urban and rural areas. In rural areas, ethnic heterogeneity was positively related to juvenile property crime rates while it had no influence in urban areas. The findings also show that being foreign-born was negatively related to juvenile property crime rates in urban areas but not in rural areas. This study examined the effects of social disorganization on juvenile property crime rates in a Texas-Mexico border region that is predominately Latino. A time-series cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 18 years of data obtained from seven sources: the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Census Bureau, the Texas State Demographer, the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, and Uniform Crime Reports. The findings show that per capita income, in both urban and rural areas, and rural ethnic heterogeneity are important sources of influence on juvenile property crime rates. Policy implications are discussed. Tables, appendix, notes, and references