The Impact of Community Resources on Violent and Property Crimes

Abstract

Violent and property crimes are of serious consequences across the world, the US and Texas. This research reports the findings of an exploratory study that assessed the relationships between different community resources – jobs and vocational training resources, advocacy resources, law enforcement resources, mental health and substance abuse resources, recreational resources, and social service and parenting resources and both violent and property crimes in 254 counties in Texas.

This cross-sectional study was conducted based on a 2012 secondary data of 254 counties in Texas. Data for the independent variables were derived from the US Census Bureau and KIDS COUNT data center, while the dependent variables were derived from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Uniform Crimes Report. Community resource was measured through the community resource scale, while violent and property crimes were measured using the violent and property crime scale. One construct emerged from the independent variable – community resources, while two constructs emerged for the dependent variable – violent crimes and property crimes.

Data analyses included Pearson’s correlation, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. All of the community resources – mental health and substance abuse resources, jobs and vocational training resources, social services and parenting resources, mental health and substance abuse resources, law enforcement resources, and advocacy resources all have positive impact on violent and property crimes. Location in metropolitan or Non-metropolitan County, percentage of children less than 18 years old, and unemployment rate all had positive impact on violent and property crimes. The results of this study will expand our ability to understand to further design and improve resources in ways that may contribute to the larger ecological approaches to violent and property crimes prevention and intervention, from a social work standpoint. Implications for the profession of social work theory, education, research, policy, practice are discussed.