Block Parties and Neighborhood Crime

• In Event: Block Parties, Golf, Tay Tay and Wild Fires: Which Events Influence Neighborhood Crime?

Abstract

In many urban neighborhoods in the United States (US), block parties are community-organized public events where residents close off their streets for a day to gather, socialize, and celebrate. These informal encounters among loosely connected neighbors in shared urban spaces may have important implications for community social cohesion and social capital. Despite their potential relevance to community and crime research, little is known about how such interactions shape neighborhood crime. This study explores the association between block parties and crime at the Census block group level in New York City (NYC), where the block party tradition originated and remains common. We also examine whether the relationship is influenced by social disorganization and land use characteristics. Our analysis draws on 5,279 geocoded block party events between 2017 and 2019 obtained from the NYC Office of Citywide Event Coordination and Management, integrated with crime, socioeconomic, and land use data from the NYC Police Department, the US Census Bureau, and the NYC Department of City Planning. Results from negative binomial regression models indicate that block parties are positively associated with crime, controlling for other factors. This association is also moderated by racial heterogeneity and land use, with some variation across crime types.

Authors

• Jisoo Cho, Graduate Center / John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York

• Jinuk Jeong, City University of New York, Graduate Center / John Jay College of Criminal Justice