Crime and Socio-Economic Status 1
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of Study
Contrary to popular belief, crime is not simply just a function of low socio-economic
status. There are significant levels of crime associated with low socio-economic status; there are
also significant, often underreported, levels of crime among the higher classes. The economic
impact of white-collar crime is also found to be greater than the crimes that are generally
committed at lower socio-economic levels.
There has long been awareness in many societies that criminal activity was somehow
linked to poverty. The exact relationship is not clear however and the media has shaped the
views of many. The selective reporting on crime by the media creates stereotypes that are
difficult to separate from an objective look at the issues. Maguire and Radosh (1999) noted this
phenomenon and studied many of the issues involving crime and criminals. They observed that
the reporting on this issue was driven by the circumstances surrounding the criminal act, the
level of dramatic elements to the story and the involvement of famous people. They found that
stories that were devoid of these elements were generally underreported (p.14).
Maguire and Radosh (1999) further observed that the reporting distorted the actual
pattern of criminal activity and created stereotypes which shaped people’s consciousness about
the nature of crime being committed. In this environment, some types of crime were never
reported, hence perpetrating the view that crime was only committed by a certain class of people
and fit a certain pattern (p. 14).
Crime and Socio Economic Status 2
David Musick (as cited in Clifton Bryant ed. 2001) concurred with the preceding
viewpoint when he observed that media attention focused mainly on common crimes and lower-
class criminals (p.477). The confusion about what constitutes crime and who are the main
perpetrators is further fuelled by the joint causality between crime and poverty. Evidently, the
prevalence of crime in a certain area discourages formal business and this loss of business
contributes to poverty. Similarly, high crime areas may attract more criminals due to a
perception that detection may be more difficult or the area may be a source of customers of
illegal endeavors such as the drug trade.
Maguire and Radosh (1999) presented a more operational definition in that they
identified components of three useful definitions of crime. They first cited the Legalistic
definition which simply speaks to a violation of criminal law. The Labeling definition and the
Harms-based definition are also described. The legalistic definition of crime which speaks to a
violation of statutes has three components. There is first the intention. Simply put, the
lawbreaker must have had an intention to commit the act. In legal language this has been
described as mens rea or evil intent. Maguire and Radosh (1999) admitted however, that proving
of intent is an extremely difficult aspect of legal prosecution. The second component cited was
knowledge. This seeks to establish whether the lawbreaker knowingly committed the act. This
component of the legalistic definition allowed for the introduction of the defense that a person
may not be found guilty if it can be established that they were insane or at least temporarily
oblivious to their actions. The third component of the legalistic definition cited was freedom. The
violation of the statute must be proven to have been committed with a free will. A person
compelled to carry out an illegal act cannot be held guilty of the commission if it was not
voluntarily carried out (pp. 17-18).
Crime and Socio Economic Status 3
In the background of the above discussion the researcher proposes to study what impact if
any, low socio-economic status has on crime.
Statement of the Problem
The United States of America collects crime statistics on the most serious and frequently
occurring crimes. This is collected into a crime index called the Uniform Crime Report (UCR)
which compares the rates for the various types of indexed crimes. Kornblum and Julian (2007)
reported on the 2003 index. This showed Larceny theft at 59.4%, Burglary 18.22%, Motor
Vehicle theft 10.7%, Aggravated Assault 7.2%, Robbery 3.4%, Forcible Rape 0.7% and Murder
0.13%. They noted however that these statistics did not show the whole picture and that many
types of crime were not even indexed. The effect of indexing therefore attracted the police
attention to these crimes. This gave greater visibility to these incidences and indicated the
direction of law enforcement. It ought to be pointed out that violent and property crimes are the
only types represented on the crime index. This type of crime reporting is suspect due to the fact
that many other crimes are underreported and law enforcement officers have wide discretion in
choosing which particular crime or perpetrator to prosecute (pp. 143-147). Kornblum and Julien
(2007) noted that with the thousands of laws on the books any individual police would be able to
choose which crimes to ignore once it was consistent with his departmental policy. They further
cited a case where middle class youths and lower class youths were given totally different
treatments even after they had together violated the same statutes (p. 165).
Kornblum and Julien (2007) summarized the problems associated with the crime index
system by noting that:
In sum, it appears that the poor, the undereducated and minority groups have become the victims of selective law enforcement, stereotyping and misleading statistics. The rich and powerful in contrast have been insulated from these problems; they are so seldom sent to prison that when one of them is finally jailed for fraud, embezzlement or tax evasion, it
Crime and Socio Economic Status 4
makes headlines. Some sociologists, noting the difficulty of obtaining accurate information on the incidence of these crimes have concluded that the upper class may actually have a higher rate of crime than the lower classes (pp.142-143).
Kornblum and Julien (2007); Haralambos and Holborn (2004) and Carter (2002) all agree
that there are many types of crimes and criminals. Among the more common are crimes of
violence, white-collar crimes and corporate crimes.
Crimes of violence are acts in which physical injury is inflicted or threatened. The
ultimate violent crime, that of murder seems to have some distinct characteristics. Kornblum and
Julien (2007) reported that murders occurred most often in large cities, most murderers were
men, guns were the most common murder weapon, most murderers were young; aged 17 to 34,
most murder victims were members of a minority group, most of the time the killer and victim
were of the same race and a high proportion of murderers were relatives of their victims (p. 145).
It is worthy of note that violent crimes along with property crimes comprised the total of
the U.S. crime index and generally implicated people of low socio-economic status as
perpetrators of these crimes. Maguire and Radosh (1999) reported that arrest statistics and prison
inmate data supported the relationship between violent crimes and low socio-economic status.
This however is not the whole picture of the crime situation. There are also incidences of white
collar crime and Corporate crime. Haralambos and Holborn (2004) stated that White-collar
crime may include bribery and corruption in business, professional misconduct, fraud, and
misrepresentation in advertising among other offences (p.343). They further pointed to the fact
that official statistical reports did not give an accurate picture of the extent of delinquency among
white collar workers. It was consistently observed that offences committed by adults of high
social status were not likely to be prosecuted. And fraud, a common white collar crime led to
extremely high financial costs to society (pp. 345-346).
Crime and Socio Economic Status 5
Corporate crimes are a special type of white collar crime committed by corporations and
organizations. In her online article, Needleman (2006) reported that common examples of
corporate crime that have been highlighted by the media are events such as the Enron Scandal of
2001, where that company concealed huge debts by producing misleading accounting reports to
deceive investors about their financial position (para. 6). An online article from CBS News
(2002) reported also that the WorldCom scandal of 2002 admitted to accounting errors of $3.8
billion. This forced the company into bankruptcy and made the more than 17,000 workers
redundant (para. 2-3)
Theoretical Framework
From a close examination of the core areas of Psychology; this study falls under the field
of Social Psychology. This area of Psychology deals with the study of how individuals think
about, influence and interact with one another. The researcher proposes to use the Functional
Theory, Conflict Theory and the Social Disorganization Theory to provide an understanding of
the problem under study.
A close examination of crime and low socio-economic status would show how power, the
unequal distribution of wealth and the imbalance of focus on the perpetrators of certain types of
crime, while ignoring those crimes committed by ‘significant’ others.
Conflict theorist purported that “most crime is either a form of rebellion by members of
the lower class in society or a form of illegal exploitation by the rich and the powerful”
(Kornblum, Julian, & Smith, 2007, 165). They have pointed out that unequal wealth, power and
status are the mitigating conditions for producing criminal behavior. Kornblum, et al. also cited
that the groups in society that find themselves in a less advantaged position that other groups,
Crime and Socio Economic Status 6
like those who are poor and face the likelihood of some form of discrimination are more likely to
be rebellious against their circumstances.
Functionalists on the other hand hold the view that “crime stems from the uncertainty
about norms of proper conduct that accompanies rapid social change and social disorganization”
(Kornblum, et al. 2007, 165).
Social Disorganization theorists have cited that, crime is the product of the social forces
existing in inner city and low income areas. This leads to many guaranteed social problems.
The researcher in an effort to show that crime is not simply a function of low socio
economic has employed the use of the above theories in order to validate the claims. The
researcher will also show how it is by design that some of the governing authorities through their
legislation contribute to the biased focus on crimes committed by the poor while suppressing the
data on those committed by the rich.
Hypothesis
Alternate Hypothesis (Ha): Low socio-economic status plays a minimal role on levels of crime.
Null Hypothesis (Ho): Low socio-economic status has no significant impact on levels of crime.
Rational of the Study
The researcher chose to conduct this study in order to determine the link, if any between
crime and the socioeconomic life of a community and sees it as an area that is worth researching
for its relevance to current trends. The researcher believes that this study becomes more
pertinent since it is the firm belief in significant segments of the population, that the majority of
crimes committed in society are usually perpetrated by individuals who find themselves in the
low socio-economic bracket and the fact of a person’s poverty is an accurate indicator for his
propensity for criminal activities. This belief would seem to be an accurate one as it is
Crime and Socio Economic Status 7
consistently portrayed by the media. The researcher will seek to use relevant statistics to
establish more accurate links and specifically investigate the problem in the context of Trinidad
and Tobago.
Significance of the Study
This study seeks to investigate the real causes of crime so that appropriate steps can be
taken to reduce crime. This study would reveal how the media focuses on the crimes committed
by the poor and which have a much smaller economic impact on society while suppressing the
statistics on white-collared crime, corporate crime and cyber crimes which have a much more
significant negative economic impact on society. The study will also provide enlightment for the
general populace as a whole and for the media in particular so that they will do more investigate
journalism as it relates to crime and socio-economic status. The beneficiaries of this research will
be Governmental policy makers, law enforcement authorities and social impact groups.
Operational Definitions
Crime: it is important to look at a comprehensive definition of crime that will prove useful for
this research. Musick (n.d) viewed definitions of crime as falling into two categories. He cited
the conventional definition as violation of criminal law and a more abstract definition that allows
crime to be broadly defined as any act or omission that impeded maximum human functioning
(as cited in Bryant ed., 2001, p.477).
Socio-economic Status: The position of an individual on a socioeconomic scale that measures
such factors as education, income, type of occupation, place of residence, and in some
populations, ethnicity and religion
Conflict Theory: views crime as a form of rebellion by members of the low socio-economic
bracket or a form of illegal exploitation by the rich and powerful.
Crime and Socio Economic Status 8
Social Disorganization Theory: It is stated in this theory that crime is a product of social forces
that exists in inner cities and areas of low socio-economic status.
Functional Theory: This theory grows out of the uncertainty about norms of proper conduct that
accompanies rapid social change and social disorganization.
Crime Index: This is a measure generated to analyze crime statistics. In the US there are three
major crime indices including the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), the National
Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR).
Uniform Crime Report: The Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) contain official data on crime that
is reported to law enforcement agencies across the United States, who then provide the data to
the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). UCR focuses on index crimes, which include murder
and non-negligent manslaughter, robbery, forcible rape, aggravated assault, burglary,
larceny/theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. UCR is a summary-based reporting system, with
data aggregated to the city, county, state, and other geographic levels. Crime statistics are
compiled from UCR data and published annually by the FBI in the Crime in the United States
series. To address limitations of UCR, the FBI has developed the National Incident Based
Reporting System (NIBRS) system, which is also being deployed by law enforcement agencies.
Index Crime: This is divided into two sections namely Part I including; criminal homicide,
forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, arson and
Part II including; simple assaults, forgery and counterfeiting, fraud, embezzlement, buying/
receiving or possessing stolen property, vandalism, prostitution and commercialized vice, sex
offenses, drug abuse violations, offense against family and children, driving under the influence,
liquor law violations, drunkenness, disorderly conduct, vagrancy, curfew violations and loitering,
and running away.
Crime and Socio Economic Status 9
Violent Crime: A violent crime or crime of violence is a crime in which the offender uses or
threatens to use violent force upon the victim. This entails both crimes in which the violent act is
the objective, such as murder, as well as crimes in which violence is the means to an end, such as
robbery.
Property Crime: This is a category of crime that includes burglary, larceny, theft, motor vehicle
theft, arson, shoplifting, and vandalism. Property crime only involves the taking of money or
property, and does not involve force or threat of force against a victim.
White Collar Crime: This is a phrase for a variety of frauds, schemes, and commercial offenses
by businesspersons, confidence men, and public officials. It includes a broad range of nonviolent
offenses that have cheating as their central element. Consumer fraud, bribery, and stock
manipulation are examples.
Corporate Crime: In criminology, corporate crime refers to crimes committed either by a
corporation (i.e., a business entity having a separate legal personality from the natural persons
that manage its activities), or by individuals that may be identified with a corporation or other
business entity.
Limitations and Delimitations
Limitations of the study included the time constraint experienced due to the shorter
semester so that the review of literature may have been less extensive than required for a study of
this nature. The resources available were also limited in the sense that some of the books cited in
literature that was reviewed were unavailable to the present study. Hence some useful sources
for information could not be accessed.
The research is delimited to the exact area under review and may not be generalized to any
similar study on crime and low socio-economic status.
Crime and Socio Economic Status 10
CHAPTER TWO
OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE
This chapter places together the review of the literature and the reasons why the review
was done. The review is done to know and understand the existing body of knowledge form a
theoretical framework for the hypothesis, and to identify gaps in the knowledge.
The researcher for the purpose of this study has made use of four sets of literature
spanning from the year 1999 to 2007. The literature reviewed included books, encyclopedias and
internet sources.
Literature Reviewed
The literatures reviewed are discussed under the following sub-headings:
Definitions of Crime
To show the categories into which crime falls; according to Musick (n.d.) crime falls into
two categories; there is the general definition where crime is seen as the violation of criminal law
or the abstract definition which says that crime is any act or omission that affects human
functioning (as cited in Bryant ed., 2001, p. 477).
Maguire and Radosh (1999) stated that there are three more operational definitions which
are the legalistic which simply speaks to a violation of criminal law, the labeling which says that
no action in it self is criminal and the Harms-based which seek to treat as criminal any behavior
that is harmful.
The labeling definition of crime is proposed from the standpoint that no action is in
itself criminal. Crime therefore becomes behaviour defined as crime. Inherent in this definition is
the understanding that crime will always be defined by those with the power to define it. It
Crime and Socio Economic Status 11
allows for similar actions to be treated differently based on who was involved, the place, reason,
witness, victim and other variables. Based on this definition Maguire and Radosh (1999) noted
that it created the possibility for the rich and powerful to be excused of behaviour that would be
considered criminal if done by the poor and powerless (p.20).
The harms-based definition seeks to treat as criminal any behaviour that is harmful.
Proponents of this definition have identified three areas of criminal behaviour. First, noted
Sociologist, Edwin Sutherland, proposed that White-collar crime was more harmful than
conventional crime and should be criminally prosecuted. Next, Criminologists, Herman and Julia
Schwendinger proposed a definition of crime as behaviour that violated human rights and thirdly,
Criminologist, Raymond Michalowshki spoke of Analogous forms of Social Injury. He called
for acts that are legal but whose consequences are similar to illegal acts and resulting in social
harm to be criminalized (pp. 20-22).
Shortcomings of the Definitions
To show that the three definitions and their components are all useful but all seem to have
flaws than on the one hand allow the justice system to discriminate as to who is an offender, or
on the other hand are so value driven that consensus may never be reached. The media however
does not seem to consider all of the merits of all of the definitions and hence the typical criminal
according to Maguire and Radosh (1999) remains young, black, poor, urban and male.
Types of Crimes and Criminals
This will show that the United States of America collects crime statistics on the most
frequently and serious occurring crimes under the Uniform Crime Report (UCR). This helps the
researcher to compare the various types of indexed crimes. The Index crimes are larceny,
burglary, motor vehicle theft, aggravated assault, robbery, forcible rape and murder. Kornblum
Crime and Socio Economic Status 12
and Julien (2007) reported on the 2003 index. Kornblum and Julien (2007) stated that there are
problems associated with this index when they stated that the undereducated and minority groups
have become victims of selective law enforcement, stereotyping and misleading statistics.
Haralabmos and Holborn (2004) stated that white-collar crime and corporate
crimes are also included but pointed to the fact that official statistical reports did not give an
accurate picture of the delinquency among white collar workers. It was consistently observed
that offences committed by adults of high social status were not likely to be prosecuted. And
fraud, a common white collar crime led to extremely high financial costs to society.
Relative Cost of Crime in Society
To show the relative cost of various types of crime to society in and to be able to make a
comparison as it relates to the economic impact various types of crime have on society and there
are various reports on the cost of crime. Haralambos and Holborn (2004) reported on financial
statistics for crime in the United Kingdom by reporting on pension fund fraud etc. They also
gave an example of corporate fraud at a chemical plant in Bhopal, India in 1984.
Pertinent Opinion
In reviewing the literature by the authors, it has been noted that it has provided the
researcher with sufficient information and the necessary pertinent data to be able to carry out the
study. The researcher found that the literature was relevant and informative as they provided
supporting points and evidence to support the problem under study. The points presented were
pellucid and supported each other quite solidly. The methods used by the authors to gather the
evidence were appropriate for their purposes. The evidence presented helped to further support
the researcher’s belief that crime is simply not just a function of low socio-economic status. The
Crime and Socio Economic Status 13
researcher believes that the authors used good evidence and statistical data in support of their
arguments.
It is the researcher’s opinion based on what was read that the consensus is the same
locally and globally that most of the crimes committed are perpetrated by those persons who are
in the low socio-economic bracket. The researcher seeks through this study to enlighten at least
those persons who would be exposed to the reading of this study and by extension the populace
of the wider community about the misconception about the impact of low socio-economic status
on crime.
State of the Art Summary
This research identified a social issue that is prevalent today. The link between poverty
and crime even though it may show a positive correlation is a partial view of the levels of crime
in the society. Many crimes committed by persons of higher socio-economic status are either
ignored by law enforcement or are not defined as crimes on the statute book.
The reality however is that the economic and human cost of white-collar crimes often far
outweigh the crimes of violence and property crimes typically committed by the underclass. An
understanding of the real issues involved in criminal activities will allow decision makers to
demonstrate greater sensitivity in the construction and enforcement of laws.
Crime and Socio Economic Status 14
CHAPTER THREE
METHODS
This chapter consists of detailed information that pertains to the methods used to conduct
this research and for the gathering of information.
Description of the Subjects
The subjects the researcher would use in this research are mainly male and female
adolescents between the age range of 14 to 18 years and young adults between the ages of 20 to
35 years old. The subjects studied would be 120 persons from low socio-economic status. Of the
one hundred and twenty subjects, 48 would be females and 72 males.
Description of the Measures
The sampling technique that the researcher will utilize in gathering the relevant
information would be stratified random sampling. This involves dividing the sampling
population into groups in an effort to ensure that the sample is truly representative.
This study will take the form of a quantitative study making use of numerical data. In this
type of research, the information garnered from the participants would be set out in numerical
form. The process of measurement is central to quantitative research because it provides the
fundamental connection between empirical observation (field data) and mathematical expression
of quantitative relationships.
The researcher will make the use of questionnaires to acquire the data for this study. The
questionnaires will help to collect data that is measurable. The questionnaires will have a number
of pre-set questions. In this form of research all the questions would be identical and will be
presented to the respondents in the identical order so that the same information would be
collected from each member of the sample. In this questionnaire the questions would be designed
Crime and Socio Economic Status 15
in such a way that it would give the age range of the respondents. This would be done on an age
range basis, for example, 15-19, 20-25, 26-30 and 31-35 etc.
Additionally, the aim of the questions would be to obtain information about the impact of
low socio-economic status on the crime rate. The questions in this questionnaire would be aimed
at determining the impact if any, of low socio-economic status on crime. The questions in the
questionnaire will be designed to assess the impact of low socio-economic status on the type of
crime committed, the propensity to commit crime, the influence of those in the high socio-
economic bracket on them committing crimes, profiling and other related topics of the study. The
researcher would provide the necessary explanations and instructions in the questionnaires in
order to ensure that the respondents have a clear understanding of what they are answering to.
Additionally, the questionnaire would be given to the respondents by the researcher. This
questionnaire is more or less aimed at generating qualitative data. The researcher proposes to use
Likert Scale Method in which a number of items are written to reflect construct or domain of
interest along a 5-point scale ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Each individual’s
response is summed up to derive a total score.
Variables
The two main variables identified by the researcher are low socio-economic status and
crime. The research design used by the researcher in conducting this study is co relational with
the independent variable being low socio-economic status and the dependent variable crime.
Dependent and independent variables refer to values that change in relationship to each
other. The dependent variables are the measures of behavior that are used to assess the effect, if
any, of the independent variables. The independent variables are the factor that the researcher
controls or manipulates in order to determine their effect on behavior. In summary then, “if x is
Crime and Socio Economic Status 16
given, then y occurs”, where x represents the independent variable and y represents the
dependent variable.
Research Design
This research will be a descriptive study using the survey method; the researcher is here
interested in collecting information from a large group of individuals. The method used to gather
this information is the use of questionnaires, interviews or telephone contacts. Surveys are a
great and useful tool for collecting data on human characteristics, behavior, attitudes and
thoughts. Survey studies also have some inherent limitations such as, a single survey can
establish whether or not a relationship exists between two variables but it is not sufficient to
determine the direction of causality. Survey studies rely on self-reports, that is they depend on
the respondents’ honesty in answering truthfully and accurately on their characteristics and
attitudes.
Survey studies are subjected to some types of bias. Respondents are very aware that they
are being studied and as such may change their answers for some reason or another. This may be
done so that they can appear in a more favorable light to those who are studying or them or
maybe to conform to their expectations. However, If a survey is properly conducted, it would
accurately represent the opinions and judgments of a population.
Survey research is one of the most important areas of measurement in applied social
research. The broad area of survey encompasses any measurement procedures that involve
asking respondents questions.
In essence, the conducting of a scientific survey should not be undertaken lightly. This
method of research requires careful, systematic research and planning. It is a labor intensive
exercise and can take many weeks to implement and analyze. Since the nature of this study
Crime and Socio Economic Status 17
requires collection of data on a fairly large scale, the survey method is used in order to get
sufficient information for the problem under study.
Research Procedure
Prior to the conducting of this research, the researcher would seek to get the necessary
documentation necessary from the relevant authorities that give the approval for conducting the
research. This letter of authorization would show that the researcher’s purpose for conducting the
research is solely for the purpose of gathering information from the respondents for research
purposes and not for anything else.
The researcher would make use of a pilot study as a pretest for the questionnaire and thus
be able to determine its reliability or validity. This pilot study is not intended to investigate
directly or to test the research hypothesis. The researcher will use the pilot study to be able to
justify the number of participants required for the research. It is also intended to answer any
questions of whether or not a trial or experiment if worthy of being pursued. The pilot study
would seek to provide details on how to pursue the experiment and it would include evidence for
its classification as a pilot study.
The researcher would conduct the survey after accepting informed comment to conduct
it. Questionnaires would be used. When the survey is completed the researcher would record the
information collected, analyze it and thereafter prepare the report of the findings.
Analytical Techniques
Quantitative analysis would be used to analyze the data. In this analysis, the researcher
proposes to make use of the computer assisted software program, Statistical Packages for the
Social Sciences (SPSS). This study is co relational in nature. To that end the best method of
analysis to be used in this type of study is Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient. Pearson’s
Crime and Socio Economic Status 18
Correlation Coefficient tells if there is a linear relationship between two measurement variables,
how good the relationship is, if the relationship is positive or negative. It also gives an equation
for a straight line so that one score can be predicted from another.
Crime and Socio Economic Status 19
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bryant, C. D. (2001). In the encyclopedia of criminology and deviant behavior Vol I. Philadelphia: Brunner-Routledge.
Carter, D. L. (2002). The Police and the Community (7th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson, Education, Inc.
Fielding, N. G., Clarke, A., & Witt, R. (2000). The economic dimensions of crime. New York: Palgrave.
Haralambos, M., & Holborn, M. (2004). Sociology themes and perspectives (6th ed.). London: Harper Collins.
Kornblum, W., & Julian, J. (2007). Social problems (12th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
Maguire, B., & Radosh, P. (1999). Introduction to criminology. Belmont: West/Wadsworth.
Needleman, S. (2006, September 26). One Minute-Manager Guru on Leadership for M.B.A.s. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved June 02, 2008 from http://online.Wsj.com/article/C60926NEEDLEMAN.html.
World-Class Scandal at WorldCom (2002, June 26). CBS NEWS. Retrieved June 02,2008 from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/06/26/national/main513473.shtml.
Crime and Socio Economic Status 20
APPENDIX A
QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH
1. Are more crimes committed by poorer people than by richer people?
2. What types of crimes do poor people commit?
3. What type of crimes do richer people commit?
4. What is the nature of the crime-ridden areas of the local society?
5. How do the persons who live in these communities perceive the crime rate?
6. What is the bias of the media in the reporting of crimes in the society? Are there obvious
crimes committed by the upper class that are not reported in the media?
7. How do we then define crime to include all acts that may prove harmful to society?
8. What is the true cost of crime to society?
9. To what extent are upper class people prosecuted for their crimes?
10. What is the true relationship between poverty and crime?
Crime and Socio Economic Status 21
APPENDIX B
SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE
An assignment presented in partial fulfillment for the course PSYS432. This research
focuses on the relationship between low socio-economic status and crime in the society. The aim
is to ascertain whether the media driven perspective on crime………The participants are advised
to respond to the questions in the most honest and sincere ways. Al information would be kept
confidential. Please indicate with a tick [√] where applicable.
Demographic Information
1. Age Range
[ ] 15 – 19
[ ] 20 – 25
[ ] 26 – 30
[ ] 31 – 40
[ ] 40+
2. Gender
[ ] Male
[ ] Female
3. Level of school completed:
[ ] Primary School [ ] Secondary School
[ ] Junior College (two years) [ ] Four-year College
[ ] Post Graduate [ ] Other ________________________ (please state)
Crime and Socio Economic Status 22
4. Yearly family Income
[ ] $18,000 - $24,000 [ ] $25,000 - $40,000
[ ] $41,000 - $65,000 [ ] $66,000 - $98,000
[ ] $99,000 - $140,000 [ ] $141,000 - $192,000
[ ] $192,000+
SECTION B - IMPACT OF CRIME – PERSONAL SAFETY
5. Please circle the degree to which you feel:
Low High
A. Safe in your home at night 1 2 3 4 5
B. Safe in your street at night 1 2 3 4 5
C. Safe in a park at night 1 2 3 4 5
D. Safe in a maxi at night 1 2 3 4 5
E. Safe in a taxi at night 1 2 3 4 5
6. Please indicate how often you carry a particular weapon for protection:
Never Routinely
A. Mace or pepper spray 1 2 3 4 5
B. A Baton 1 2 3 4 5
C. A Taser (Stun Gun) 1 2 3 4 5
D. A Knife 1 2 3 4 5
E. A Gun 1 2 3 4 5
7. Please indicate the degree to which you have been victimized by the particular crime:
Never Routinely
A. Assault and battery 1 2 3 4 5
Crime and Socio Economic Status 23
B. Burglary 1 2 3 4 5
C. Rape 1 2 3 4 5
D. Larceny theft 1 2 3 4 5
E. Motor vehicle theft 1 2 3 4 5
F. Fraud 1 2 3 4 5
G. Counterfeiting 1 2 3 4 5
H. Vandalism 1 2 3 4 5
I. Drugs 1 2 3 4 5
J. Drunken Driving 1 2 3 4 5
SECTION C – FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SAFETY
8. Please indicate the degree to which a family member has been victimized by the
particular crime:
Never Routinely
A. Assault and battery 1 2 3 4 5
B. Burglary 1 2 3 4 5
C. Rape 1 2 3 4 5
D. Larceny theft 1 2 3 4 5
E. Motor vehicle theft 1 2 3 4 5
F. Fraud 1 2 3 4 5
G. Counterfeiting 1 2 3 4 5
H. Vandalism 1 2 3 4 5
I. Drugs 1 2 3 4 5
J. Drunken Driving 1 2 3 4 5
Crime and Socio Economic Status 24
9. Please indicate the degree to which a community member you know has been victimized
by the particular crime.
Never Routinely
A. Assault and battery 1 2 3 4 5
B. Burglary 1 2 3 4 5
C. Rape 1 2 3 4 5
D. Larceny theft 1 2 3 4 5
E. Motor vehicle theft 1 2 3 4 5
F. Fraud 1 2 3 4 5
G. Counterfeiting 1 2 3 4 5
H. Vandalism 1 2 3 4 5
I. Drugs 1 2 3 4 5
J. Drunken Driving 1 2 3 4 5
SECTION D – PERSONAL PERCEPTION OF CRIME & INVOLVEMENT IN CRIME
10. Please indicate the extent to which each of the following applies:
Low High
A. My community is crime infested 1 2 3 4 5
B. The media accurately reports crime inMy community 1 2 3 4 5
C. Community members feel disadvantaged 1 2 3 4 5
D. The police are helpful to the community 1 2 3 4 5
E. Crimes in the community are quicklyReported to the Police 1 2 3 4 5
F. Community members are fearful to go out
at night 1 2 3 4 5
Crime and Socio Economic Status 25
11. Please indicate the extent to which you have been involved with the particular crime:
Never High
A. Vandalism 1 2 3 4 5
B. Burglary 1 2 3 4 5
C. Assault and Battery 1 2 3 4 5
D. Theft 1 2 3 4 5
E. Drunken Driving 1 2 3 4 5
F. Abuse 1 2 3 4 5
G. Robbery 1 2 3 4 5
H. Rape 1 2 3 4 5
I. Non negligent manslaughter 1 2 3 4 5
J. Wounding with Intent 1 2 3 4 5
K. Murder 1 2 3 4 5
12. Please list some crimes that occur in your community but are never punished:
A. __________________________________
B. __________________________________
C. __________________________________
D. __________________________________
E. __________________________________
THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE!
Crime and Socio Economic Status 26
Crime and Socio Economic Status 27
APPENDIX C
VARIABLES
CONCEPTUAL MODEL
Figure 1.1
Figure 1.1 represents the relationship between low socio-economic status and crime.
This model illustrates how the variables of this research are associated. There are three
variables in this chart. The first variable is low socio-economic status. The second variable
represents other factors. The third variable is the level of crime. This diagram simply illustrates
that low socio-economic status leads to an increase in crime levels. However, it is not the only
factor implicated in high crime levels and may not even be significant in the levels of crime
reported.
LOW SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS
OTHER FACTORS
HIGH LEVELS OF CRIME
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