Sociology

Crime Data Comparison

            Forcible rape is the act of having sexual intercourse with a female against her will and by using force. Data that has been collected counts one crime for every forcible rape victim.  This paper will compare the number of forcible rape crimes in two different metropolitan areas. The areas to be compared are Tucson: Arizona and San Antonio: Texas metropolitan statistical areas. In this case, we will consider only those crimes that are known to the police.

Tucson, which includes Prima county and the city of Tucson had a population of 1.010,650 in 2008 and reported 246 crimes of forcible rape. On the other hand, the San Antonio metropolitan statistical area had a population of 2,027,812 and reported 424 crimes of forcible rape. The San Antonio metropolitan reported more crimes than Tucson. The rates of crime in Tucson were 33.4 per 100,000 inhabitants while that of San Antonio was 31.7 per the same number of inhabitants (United States Department of Defense, 2009). The rates changed in both areas in the year 2009. In Tucson, the number of forcible rape crimes went down from 246 to 204. On the contrary, in San Antonio, Texas, the number of forcible rape crimes went up from 424 to 628 (United States Department of Defense, 2010).

First, one factor that explains the difference in the rates is the population. The San Antonio metropolitan statistical area has a larger population than that of Tucson. This means that the higher the population, the higher the crime rates. In Tucson, the crime rates have gone down due to a number of factors. First, the reduced market drugs activity has led to a decrease in the number of crimes (Siegel, 2009). A person under the influence of drugs is more likely to commit forcible rape as compared to a sober person. Another factor that has led to reduced number of forcible rape in this area is incarceration. Most of those accused of forcible rape have been arrested, charged and sentenced. By having the justice system have its way, most criminals have been put in jail therefore reducing the number of crimes committed. Another factor is the improvement and the efficiency of the police. By taking their work seriously, police have been able to come up with structures that help reduce crime rates.

In San Antonio, the opposite is true. The number of forcible rape crimes has increased. The factors that have led to this change in statistics are numerous. Unemployment has frustrated many people leading to an increase in crimes. People have been laid off from their jobs due to the recession thus making it hard to earn a living. This has led to an upsurge of the number of criminals thus increased forcible rape. Poverty has always led to an increase in crime rates and in this metropolitan area, it is no different. If the number of people who cannot support themselves increases, the number of criminals is set to rise. Forcible rape is a crime that is usually committed as a means to vent one’s anger and poverty gives a person this anger, which he needs to vent (Siegel, 2009). This is what leads to increased cases of rape. Decay in moral values is also another factor. In modern days, social values are no longer upheld thus a person can commit rape and walk away without any feeling of guilt. This is what has led to an undisciplined society.

An increase in gangs has also led to an increase in the number of forcible rape in this area (Cox, 2008). Young men who form gangs that are crime related are more likely to commit gang rape. Such a group may influence one another to commit this crime as a proof of their manhood. Members of such gangs are known to be sexually aggressive and thus more prone to committing forcible rape. The mob mentality also decreases the ability of a person to make rational decisions. Influence from violent peers may lead a person into committing such a crime. They usually perceive forcible rape as a means of punishing women who do not fit their moral standards for example, in terms of dressing. These men are usually having psychological problems and need professional help. These factors lead to the difference in crime rates in different metropolitan statistical areas. Each area has different issues that affect its crime rate.

References:

Cox, S. M. (2008). Juvenile Justice: A Guide to Theory, Policy, and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

Siegel, L. J. (2009). Criminology. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.

United States Department of Justice- Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2009). Crime in the United States. Retrieved from http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2008/index.html

United States Department of Justice- Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2010). Preliminary

Annual Uniform Crime Report.

Retrieved from http://.fbi.gov/ucr/prelimsem2009/index.html