The Changing Faces of Neighborhoods and Crime: An Examination of Four Philadelphia Neighborhood Clusters over Time

• In Event: Neighborhood Change, Crime, and Prisoner Reentry

Abstract

Neighborhood demographic and social indicators influence communities in ways that might vary across place or time. My previous work has shown that this is true of the association between neighborhood racial composition and crime in Philadelphia, PA. These results call for more detailed examination of the historical trajectories of these neighborhoods in order to understand the longer-term context for this spatial and temporal heterogeneity. This is particularly necessary as previous research has shown that even though neighborhoods often undergo extensive demographic shifts over time, the placement of crime hot spots tends to be consistent. Moreover, the degree to which neighborhood outcomes are influenced by demographic shifts varies by neighborhood type. This study analyzes the degree to which a subset of Philadelphia neighborhoods has undergone demographic and crime shifts over the past 20 years. It also explores how these changes, or lack thereof, correspond with more detailed indicators of social life that might help account for the changing crime patterns within and across the neighborhoods. This is part of a larger project, which seeks to provide an historical explanation for currently observed cross-sectional patterns.

Author

• Jeaneé C. Miller, University at Albany, SUNY