Abstract

This independent study examines the effects that neighborhood institutions have on levels of violent crime in Chicago. Institutions used for the present study are chosen based on their theorized ability to influence levels of collective efficacy and social disorganization within a neighborhood. Controls are selected based on variables found to influence levels of violent crime. Control and census tract boundary data are collected from the U.S Census factfinder website. Institutional data are collected from the Chicago data portal, Guidestar.org, and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulations website. The unit of observation is census tracts within the city of Chicago. The theories of collective efficacy and social disorganization are theorized to be the mechanisms through which neighborhood institutions influence levels of violent crime. ArcGIS is used to geocode the data, and measure each variable at the census tract level of observation, using the spatial and attribute join functions. This data is then exported into an Excel file, where duplicate data entries are removed, and a semilog regression is run using the STATA statistical software. The study finds that health, retail and tobacco institutions have a statistically significant positive effect on violent crime, and office institutions have a statistically significant negative effect on crime.

Advisor

Fitz-Gibbon, Heather

Second Advisor

Burnell, James

Department

Urban Studies

Disciplines

Urban Studies and Planning

Keywords

Violence, Institutions, Collective Efficacy, Social Disorganization

Publication Date

2018

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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© Copyright 2018 Peter Roach