SOC/CJ Use the States dataset and the Correlate command to explore some of the correlates of crime.

Use two measures of crime in 2012 as dependent variables: the homicide rate (Hom12) and the rate of auto theft (Carthft12). Examine the relationships of these variables with three possible independent variables: population growth rate (PopGrow), population density (PopDense), and unemployment rate

(Unemplymnt)

● Click the SPSS icon on your desktop.

● Load the States database.

● From the main menu bar, click Analyze, Correlate, and Bivariate.

● In the “Bivariate Correlations” dialog box, find Hom12, Carthft12, PopGrow, PopDense, and Unemplymnt and move them to the “Variables”

window.

● Click OK and the output will be printed to the SPSS Output screen.

Record the values of r for each relationship. Calculate r 2 and record those values in the table as well.

Hom12 CarThft12 r r 2 r r 2 PopGrow PopDense Unemplymnt

a. Write a summary of these relationships in which you note the strength and direction of each relationship. What percentage of the variance in each measure of crime variable was explained by population growth rate? By population density? By unemployment?

b. Which of these relationships seems causal? Why?