Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2017.1305790
The effect of socioeconomic factors on crime rates in Romania: a macro-level analysis
Oana-Ramona Lobonţ
Ana-Cristina Nicolescu
orcid.org/0000-0003-0659-4789
Nicoleta-Claudia Moldovan
Ayhan Kuloğlu
Abstract
The article outlines the need to identify appropriate explanations for
various acts of deviant behaviour, mental illness and violent reactions
in Romanian contemporary society which is facing a crisis of values
and character. The objective of the article is to provide empirical
evidence and raise awareness regarding the relationship between
crime and socioeconomic factors in Romania over the period 1990–
2014, based on statistics for testing co-integration theory and causal
relationships. Specifically, the proposed analysis intends to capture
the complexity of socioeconomic pressures on individuals and to clarify the ways in which the vitiation of modern society represents a manifestation of implemented economic mechanisms. By using data
related to income, unemployment, inflation, inequality, development,
education and population density as socioeconomic factors and also
data on crime divided by region and type, the article supports the
hypothesis of significant causality between socioeconomic factors
and crime. Two directions can be considered for revealing the general
result of the proposed analysis: one is that an increase in income
inequality has a strong and robust effect regarding crime rates rising,
and the second reveals that the place of residence is essential, the
urban agglomeration being a generating factor for crime.
Keywords
Crime; salary; unemployment; population density; Romania
Hrčak ID:
180805
URI
Publication date:
1.12.2017.
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