Date of Award
12-2009
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Legacy Department
Economics
Committee Chair/Advisor
Maloney, M T
Committee Member
Tollison , R D
Committee Member
Sauer , R D
Abstract
Crime on college and university campuses has been a growing problem in recent years. Schools desire to decrease crime, but often do not understand the best and most efficient way to do so. In this paper, we will attempt to understand which attributes are most influential by looking at features and crime rates for 492 different schools for which the FBI had released relevant crime data in 2006.
The data showed that many of the variables such as campus size, number of student organizations, school setting, school size, and many other topics, had a noticeable relationship with the total crime. These relationships were difficult to interpret. The variables in question are all interconnected such that it was difficult to separate and understand their effects; a problem found in many other related studies done prior. Even when an obvious relationship with crime was determined, in most cases it is an aspect for which the school can make little or no change.
The findings here can help to explain to a school why their method attempting to decrease crime may not be providing the results expected. These can also provide a prospective student a better set of information for which school will be the safest. Looking at a large set of information instead of isolating a few variables gives a much more well-rounded view on school crime.
Recommended Citation
Palermo, Rita, "The Traits of Colleges and Universities that Influence Crime" (2009). All Theses. 734.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_theses/734