Date of Award

6-20-2019

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Criminal Justice

First Advisor

Molly Smith

Abstract

Previous literature has concluded that the structural characteristics of neighborhoods, namely measures of concentrated disadvantage, racial and ethnic heterogeneity, and residential stability, are significant predictors of the variance in crime within communities. Guided by a neighborhood approach, this study introduces a measure of access to mainstream financial institutions within the social disorganization theoretical framework. Specifically, this dissertation examines the relationship between access to banks and violent, property, and total crime rates within 3,039 counties in the United States. Findings indicate a significant association between bank access and community crime.

Included in

Criminology Commons

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