William B. Bankston

Parity and disparity among three measures of fear of crime: A research note

Research on fear of crime often concerns problems associated with measuring fear of crime. Most of the literature in this area critiques “global measures,” which are the most commonly used, and suggests movement to more specific measures of fear of crime. Although much has been said about the use of alternative measures of fear, seldom has research provided comparative analyses of the alternative measures. Using a conceptual model based on previous research, the present study illustrates the differences among findings using three measures of fear of crime: global fear, fear of property crime, and fear of violent crime. This is achieved by employing each of the three measures of fear as the dependent variable in identical models. Comparing the results, the parity and disparity of these measures are demonstrated. The results suggest that conflicting findings from previous research may be a consequence of the types of measures used in the analyses. Thus, it is theoretically important to understand what dimen...

political structure, economic inequality,and homicide: a cross-national analysis

We examine the relationship between political structure, economic inequality, and rates of homicide for a diverse sample of 50 countries by using World Health Organization cause-of-death homicide data circa 1990. By conceptualizing homicide as a means of conflict resolution, we expect countries with a more centralized state structure to have lower average homicide rates than countries with a decentralized democratic political structure owing to the active role of the state in resolving disputes in centralized political environments. Although the findings do not bear this expectation out, we do find a robust positive relationship between economic inequality and homicide rates and partial evidence that the effects of economic inequality may be exacerbated in more democratic environments.

REVISITING THE SOUTHERN CULTURE OF VIOLENCE

This analysis revisits the Southern culture of violence thesis. Several limitations of prior research are addressed by probing for a cultural influence on situation- and race-specific rates of homicide in both rural and urban communities. Negative binomial regression analyses of county-level homicide and census data indicate that the density of Southern-born whites is positively associated with white argument-based homicide rates in rural areas. When this relationship is examined outside of the spatial boundaries of the South—a critical test for a regionally based cultural influence on violence—the results are identical. We interpret these findings as suggestive of a cultural influence and situate them in a discussion of the broader theoretical state of research on regional variations in violence.

Toward a general model of the process of radical conversion: An interactionist perspective on the transformation of self-identity

This paper develops the concept of radical conversion of self-identity as a moral career. Following the theoretical orientation of symbolic interactionism, the concept is explicated and differentiated from other forms of self-change. A critical review of the model developed by Lofland inDoomsday Cult is offered, through which a revised statement of the sequences of radical conversion that is conceptually applicable to cases of diverse content is constructed. Lastly, the revised model is tested using secondary case material and the logic of analytic induction. The findings indicate the model is consistent with the empirical descriptions contained in each case. Suggestions for further analysis are then discussed.

ALCOHOL AVAILABILITY AND VIOLENT CRIME RATES: A SPATIAL ANALYSIS

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on the relationship between alcohol availability in urban areas (block groups) and arrest rates for violent crime. The research examines the influence alcohol outlet density (measured both as the density of package-only sources and of taverns) has on the level of robbery and assault. Previous research has found alcohol availability to be predictive of violence, but ecological studies have had methodological limitations, particularly the problem of spatial autocorrelation. We avoid this problem by utilizing the Maximum Likelihood Estimation technique. The results indicate, net of the effects of control variables and of the effects of spatial autocorrelation, that the density of package-only outlets significantly increases the rate of arrest for both crimes. However, the density of taverns has no such effect. A control/routine-activities interpretation of the findings is offered.

Framing perceptions of oil development and social disruption

Abstract This paper examines the perceived relationship between the presence and growth of the offshore oil industry in Louisiana and patterns of social disruption, particularly crime. Interview data were obtained from long-time residents in the coastal region of Louisiana, and a social constructionist perspective was used to frame the perceptions of these individuals (N = 94). Much previous research on the effects offshore oil development and its cyclical expansion and contraction has been premised on a boom/bust social impact model reflecting the experience of resource extraction in communities in the Western United States. In contrast to this literature, we found our subjects perceived far less in the way of disorganizing effects of oil development, and for the most part suggested the impacts to be either benign or positive. There was little support for a boom/bust model of community disruption, and thus we suggest research in this area consider alternative paradigms of interpretation of social impact.

“Who Kills Whom” Revisited A Sociological Study of Variation in the Sex Ratio of Spouse Killings

This article addresses the extraordinarily high ratio of females to males who kill domestic partners in the United States. Using a theoretical perspective conceptualizing violence between intimates as a form of self-help social control and as involving a pattern of sex-specific motives, the authors developed an explanatory model of variance in the rates of female and male spouse killing and thereby, in the spousal sex ratio of killing (SROK). Applied to cities in the United States with populations of 100,000 or more, the model predicted a significant proportion of variance in the rates of female and male killers (1984-1996) and in the SROK. Examination of the net differences in effects on sex-specific rates allowed for the interpretation of why the SROK varies so dramatically across communities and what factors contribute to the high spousal SROK in the United States. Directions for further sociological investigation of this question are discussed.

Economic Fluctuation and Crime: a Time-Series Analysis of the Effects of Oil Development in the Coastal Regions of Louisiana

This research examines the relationship between patterns of crime and the development of the oil and gas extraction industry in the coastal regions of Louisiana using pooled time-series analysis. The suggestion of a link between these phenomena has often been made, but little systematic research has been conducted to determine if there is indeed a crime–oil development nexus. Limited previous research has focused primarily on the issue of “boom and bust” cycles on some forms of deviant behavior, but the data and the methods used were inadequate, and thus, the resulting conclusions were often misleading or possibly erroneous. The results from the analysis suggest that changes in oil activity and high levels of labor market involvement in the offshore oil industry are neither strongly nor consistently associated with community disruption in the form of crime.

The influence of southern culture on race‐specific homicide rates

The influence of cultural and structural variables on race‐specific homicide rates in the political subunits of Louisiana is analyzed with the purpose of further explication of the independent role these factors play as determinants of lethal violence. It is argued that the southern culture of violence hypothesis is more appropriately tested through separate examination of white, black, and total rates of homicide. The results of this study indicate clear differences in the effects of cultural and structural factors on these different rates. One of the more interesting findings is the inverse relationship between black homicide rate and percent nonwhite, which casts some doubt on sociological interpretations of the relatively higher rates of black violence as resulting from racial oppression alone. Implications are discussed.

The social psychological consequence of a life at sea: A causal model

This paper explores the influence of this occupation on alienation and social integration of its members. Data were collected using a survey instrument from a sample of 293 seamen, both officers and crew. Factors determining variance in levels of alienation are examined using multiple regression technique. Results indicate that variance in several occupational features of life at sea affect the degree of alienation experienced by seamen, and a number of social characteristics were found to mitigate these influences. Supplementary qualitative data are also used.