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THE NEW MYTH OF CLASS AND CRIME
Author(s) -
CLELLAND DONALD,
CARTER TIMOTHY J.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
criminology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.467
H-Index - 139
eISSN - 1745-9125
pISSN - 0011-1384
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-9125.1980.tb01368.x
Subject(s) - class (philosophy) , mythology , empirical evidence , property (philosophy) , criminology , property crime , position (finance) , empirical research , psychology , econometrics , positive economics , economics , computer science , epistemology , history , violent crime , artificial intelligence , finance , philosophy , classics
On the basis of a reanalysis of the empirical evidence. Tittle et al. (1978) concluded that the presumed inverse relationship between class and crime is a myth. We discuss six problems in their evaluation: paucity of evidence; lack of specification of theoretical relationships; faulty specification and measures of class; inadequate operational definitions of “crime”; faulty analysis of evidence; and failure to examine all evidence. We conclude that the empirical evidence supports the hypothesis that low class position is a source of serious crimes against persons and property.