The Role of Neighborhood Communities in the Relationship of Gentrification and Crime

• In Event: Institutions and Neighborhoods

Abstract

Qualitative research on gentrification has often discussed the potential for gentrification to break up local neighborhood communities. The potential harms to neighborhood communities were believed to be important for the relationship between gentrification and crime because it reduced potential residents would utilize informal means of social control and instead would rely on formal means of social control. Due in large part to data limitations, prior research was unable to assess this claim by incorporating a measure of local community. The current study draws upon a unique dataset that incorporates census measures, community health measures collected from the Public Health Manage Corporation’s Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey and crime data collected from the Philadelphia Police Department to assess the importance of changes in neighborhood communities on the relationship of gentrification and crime in Philadelphia. Preliminary results suggest gentrification was negatively associated with violent crime and that changes to neighborhood communities did not impact this relationship.

Authors

• Michael Scott Barton, Louisiana State University

• Joseph R. Gibbons, San Diego State University

• Timothy T. Reling, Louisiana State University