Comparing Murder Rates between two metropolitan areas
Angel Grape
University of Phoenix
5/ 26/2009
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In this paper I will be comparing the murder rates between San Antonio, TX and San Diego, CA. Both have over one million people; however the comparison between the two cities is quite different. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, in 2007, San Antonio had 122 murders versus San Diego’s 59 murders, a difference of 63 murders. In 2006, San Antonio had 119 murders in comparison to San Diego’s 68 murders, a difference of 51 murders. In 2005, the murder rates between the two cities were very different. San Antonio had 86 murders and San …show more content…
If more minorities were living in the same areas, a rise in the homicide rate would be better explained. A rise in different nationalities living in the same disadvantaged areas could contribute to the rise in the homicide rate. Unemployment rates also factor into the rise in homicide rates. The unemployment rate in San Diego, currently, is 4.3%. The unemployment rate in San Antonio, currently, is 5.9%. According to the Center for Economic Policy research, the higher the unemployment rate, the higher the occurrences for certain types of crime including homicide. In difficult economic times, people tend to turn to crime as a means of income. Drug sales and burglary are two of these means of income. In the commission of these crimes, murder would factor in more and more. Since the unemployment rate in San Antonio is higher, it stands to reason that the murder rate would increase. The unemployment rate in San Diego is lower therefore the illicit activity would be