This study explored the dynamic nature of neighborhoods using a relatively novel approach and data source. By using a nonparametric holistic approach of neighborhood change based on latent class analysis (LCA), we have explored how changes in the socio-demographic characteristics of residents, as well as home improvement and refinance activity by residents, are related to changes in neighborhood crime over a decade. Utilizing annual home mortgage loan data in the city of Los Angeles from the years 2000–2010, we 1) conducted principle components factor analyses using measures of residential in-migration and home investment activities; 2) estimated LCA models to identify classes of neighborhoods that shared common patterns of change over the decade; 3) described these 11 classes; 4) estimated change-score regression models to assess the relationship of these classes with changing crime rates. The analyses detected six broad types of neighborhood change: 1) stability; 2) urban investors; 3) higher-income home buyers; 4) in-mover oscillating; 5) oscillating refinance; 6) mixed-trait. The study describes the characteristics of each of these classes, and how they are related to changes in crime rates over the decade.

You can access the article by Nicholas Branic and Dr. John R. Hipp online first in Social Science Research entitled, “Growing Pains or Appreciable Gains? Latent Classes of Neighborhood Change, and Consequences for Crime in Southern California Neighborhoods”.

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http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0049089X16307931

[Read more…] about Lab publication on Latent Classes of Neighborhood Change, and Consequences for Crime in Southern California Neighborhoods

This study introduces filtering theory from housing economics to criminology and measures the age of housing as a proxy for deterioration and physical disorder. Using data for Los Angeles County in 2009 to 2011, negative binomial regression models are estimated and find that street segments with older housing have higher levels of all six crime types tested. Street segments with more housing age diversity have higher levels of all crime types, whereas housing age diversity in the surrounding ½-mile area is associated with lower levels of crime. Street segments with detached single-family units generally had less crime compared with other types of housing. Street segments with large apartment complexes (five or more units) generally have more crime than those with small apartment complexes and duplexes.

You can access the freely available article by Dr. John R. Hipp, Dr. Young-an Kim, & Dr. Kevin Kane online first in Crime & Delinquency entitled, “The effect of the physical environment on crime rates: Capturing housing age and housing type at varying spatial scales”.

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http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0049089X16307931

[Read more…] about Lab publication studying relationship between housing age or housing types and crime

Whereas existing research typically treats the variability in residents’ reports of collective efficacy and neighboring as measurement error, we consider such variability as of substantive interest in itself. This variability may indicate disagreement among residents with implications for the neighborhood collectivity. We propose using a general measure of social distance based on several social dimensions (rather than measures based on a single dimension such as racial/ethnic heterogeneity or income inequality) to help understand this variability in assessments.  We use data from Wave I (2001) of the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhoods Study (N = 3,570) to aggregate respondents into egohoods of two different sizes: ¼ mile and ½ mile radii. Consistent with our expectations, neighborhoods with higher levels of general social distance have higher variability in the reports of neighboring and the two components of collective efficacy – cohesion and informal social control.

You can access the freely available article by Dr. John R. Hipp, Seth A. Williams, & Dr. Adam Boessen in Socius entitled, “Disagreement in Assessing Collective Efficacy: The Role of Social Distance”. The article examines variability in perceptions of collective efficacy among residents in neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

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http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0049089X16307931

[Read more…] about Lab publication studying neighborhood social distance and disagreement in assessing collective efficacy

You can now access an online first article by Dr. John R. Hipp, Dr. James C. Wo, & Young-An Kim in the Social Science Research entitled, “Studying neighborhood crime across different macro spatial scales: The case of robbery in 4 cities”. The article examines crime variation across macro-environments & micro-geographic units four cities.

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http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0049089X16307931

[Read more…] about New lab publication on crime concentration and spatial scales (Online first)