Modernization, age structure, and regional context: A cross‐national study of crime

Abstract Cross‐national research has yielded limited support for the Durkheimian‐modernization hypothesis that economic modernization increases the rate of crime. However, tests of the hypothesis have been flawed because (1) most research has assessed the criminogenic consequences of different levels of economic development rather than changes in development and (2) most studies have failed to control for the confounding effects of changes in the age structure of populations. Using pooled cross‐sectional and time‐series INTERPOL data, results from this study support the Durkheimian‐modernization hypothesis for both homicide and theft rates. Findings also indicate the importance of regional effects in the crime equation.