Foreclosure and Crime in a Suburban Setting
Date
2014-10-07
Authors
Vitter, Zoe E
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Abstract
This research examines the relationship between foreclosure and crime within the context of a middle-class, rapidly growing outer suburb during the foreclosure crisis that began in 2006. Previous research has found that concentrated residential foreclosure, long-term vacancy, and property abandonment in urban areas is associated with increases in crime and disorder. Calls for police service, real estate transactions, and socio-economic data from 2004 through the end of 2009 were aggregated into pre- and post-periods. Using multiple linear regression, a small but statistically significant relationship between crime and foreclosure, was found, which held even when demographic and environmental variables, and previous crime rate were added to the model. Previous crime rate of a neighborhood, mobility in both the pre- and post-period, and retail employment also positively predicted crime and were statistically significant. Percent Hispanic population negatively predicted crime.
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Keywords
Foreclosure, Suburbs, Crime