The Code of the Street and Violent Versus Property Crime Victimization

Area of Science:

• Criminology
• Sociology
• Urban Studies

Background:

• Previous studies link street code values to violent victimization.
• The "code of the street" is a set of informal rules governing behavior in disadvantaged urban neighborhoods.
• Research has not extensively examined the code of the street's impact on property crime.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between street code values and multiple forms of victimization.
• To determine if street code values are associated with assault, breaking and entering, theft, and vandalism.

Main Methods:

• Poisson-based multilevel regression models were employed.
• The study analyzed the association between belief in the street code and four types of victimization.
• Data was collected to assess the influence of street code adherence on criminal victimization risk.

Main Results:

• Belief in the street code was significantly associated with increased risk of assault, breaking and entering, and vandalism.
• Theft victimization did not show a significant relationship with street code adherence.
• Street code values appear to broadly influence victimization beyond just violent encounters.

Conclusions:

• The code of the street contributes to a wider range of victimization types than previously understood.
• Adherence to street code values may increase behaviors that provoke retaliation, leading to diverse forms of victimization.
• Findings suggest the code of the street has pervasive effects on individuals' vulnerability to crime.