This study investigates the relative importance of migration, population size, and economic base in explaining felony convictions in small rural towns. Freudenburg's concept “density of acquaintanceship” is used to analyze how differences in cohesion and integration within small rural towns are associated with crime. The central hypothesis is that lower social cohesion and integration increase crime. Two issues are examined. One is whether the type of community structure is associated with felony convictions. The other is whether migration, which ordinarily influences human capital, accounts for a high proportion of rural crime.
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