Crime patterns and their relation to subjective social stress and support indicators: The role of gender

Simha F. Landau*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between the subjective perception of stress and support in the population (as independent variables) and the prevalence of homicide, robbery, and property offenses in society, while controlling for the effect of gender, i.e., how these crimes are related to the differential perception of stress and support among males and females. The theoretical framework is provided by a stress-support model which postulates that crime in society will be positively related to stress factors and negatively related to support systems. Eight stress indicators and four support (solidarity) indicators were included. The data regarding these indicators were derived from continuing surveys of representative samples of the urban population in Israel during the years 1967-1979. The theoretical model was supported by the findings, especially those relating to property offenses. The effects of the female indicators were strongest (and greater than those of males) with regard to property offenses. The regression coefficients of the female indicators were also consistently larger than those of males, indicating that women's perceptions of stress are better predictors of crime rates than those of males. The results are compared to those of previous studies and suggestions are made for future studies in this new line of criminological research.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)29-56
Number of pages28
JournalJournal of Quantitative Criminology
Volume13
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1997

Keywords

  • Economic stress
  • Homicide
  • Israel
  • National solidarity
  • Property offenses
  • Robbery
  • Security-related stress

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