January 17, 2008
Got Crime? Blame college football
A new economics study from the University of Colorado at Denver finds that college football causes crime.
Daniel Rees, an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Colorado Denver, reports his findings:
Our results suggest that the host community registers sharp increases in assaults, vandalism, arrests for disorderly conduct, and arrests for alcohol-related offenses on game days. Upsets are associated with the largest increases in the number of expected offenses. These estimates are discussed in the context of psychological theories of fan aggression.
In other words, the arson arrests in Columbus after the BCS game were expected (yet again).
...assaults increase by about 9% when a community hosts a college football game, vandalism increases by about 18%, and DUIs increase by about 13%.
Yikes! Somebody call Fanblogs commenter 40 Acres of Burnt Orange!
The report does uncover that the outcome of the game greatly impacts the level of violence - which helps to counter the argument that the troublemakers are just some angry out-of-towners. The closeness of the game also has a factor on the level of violence:
"...expected assaults increase by 12 percent with a close home game win, but increase by only 5 percent when the win was not close."
And it's not just the Penn State players - it's a trend all over the country. The study looked at 26 FBS college hometowns, most with populations over 100,000 people.
The entire report is actually pretty fascinating stuff... especially if statistics ring your bell.
The study is available in pdf format from the UCD economics website (which I'm sure all of you have bookmarked, but just in case... the pdf version is available here)
Hat Tip: Rob @ Orangejack
Comments:
Bevo Boy said:
posted on January 17, 2008 9:06 PM — 207.200.116.5 — link — abuse?
We will, trust me. From everything that I have heard (I didn't really keep up with Bama), they kind of mixed three systems together because Saban wasn't willing to give Applewhite, who wasn't his first choice, that much control over the offense. Saban brought in some "help" and the three couldn't decide on the best system to run, so they mixed all three. That would give any offense trouble unless they all studied at least as much as they are supposed to be in class.
Lennie Collins
posted on January 17, 2008 9:13 PM — 70.251.191.250 — link — abuse?
said:
Bevo Boy, you and the rest of the Longhorns nation are still gonna see Texas get a preseason Top 10 ranking regardless. Even though a few of their senior starters are leaving early. Bama Babe Post #7...your facts are has solid has James Brown perm was! He did not have a great offensive plan for the Syracuse Aren't!
Lennie Collins
posted on January 17, 2008 9:28 PM — 70.251.191.250 — link — abuse? said:
Bevo Boy you can call me names, curse me, or hate me but Texas in basketball and in football except that year they won the National Title has ALWAYS, ALWAYS been given a high preseason ranking in finish out of the Top 10. 2007 Football preseason ranking #3 and finished #12! 2007 Basketball I believed they were ranked #8 and where is the basketball team ranked now? Bevo Boy to be 100% honest there should not be ANY, I say ANY, preseason rankings! That just my opinion!
Lennie Collins
posted on January 17, 2008 9:32 PM — 70.251.191.250 — link — abuse? said:
Bevo Boy Post #15...while you talkin', maybe Robert Stoops should get a new staff. The way the defense played in the Fiesta Bowl against West Virginia...yeah the whole staff should have quit to 100% honest with you. Scheduling Tennesse-Chattanooga...yeah, the AD should quit as well!
Bevo Boy said:
posted on January 17, 2008 9:32 PM — 207.200.116.5 — link — abuse?
First of all, I don't like Texas basketball; well, Rick Barnes, anyway. Second of all, unless my memory is failing me, Texas's preseason rank was #6 and they finished #10. I don't follow Texas basketball but I thought that they started the season unranked after the loss of Kevin Durant.
Lennie Collins
posted on January 17, 2008 9:37 PM — 70.251.191.250 — link — abuse? said:
Bevo Boy Comment #18...I am talking about this SEASON 2007-2008. When Texas beat UCLA 63-61, the players bragged about they were a better team without Kevin Durant. I guess they should have used the opposite of better! They were ranked #8 and that is why not only me but a few of my friends that follow the Longhorns Basketball team was confused.
Lennie Collins
posted on January 17, 2008 9:45 PM — 70.251.191.250 — link — abuse? said:
News 8 Austin actually had a press conference here, Today, and it made front page in Wednesday's paper. I even heard some of my fellow co-workers saying how he is going to put a "spark" in the Texas offense. Hey I agree with 40 Acres of Burnt Orange, it is too early to predict how he will preform. I waiting to see how the offense does when they face Oklahoma in October.
· ·.·°O aloskoz O°·.· ·
posted on January 17, 2008 10:30 PM — 76.175.118.23 — link — abuse? said:
While this may be informitive, mabie even interesting (by way of statisics etc.) it reminds me of how 'pointing the finger' is doing well and is now invading somthing i love... sports, especially NCAA sports (football for the most part) but you could probably take any event that aquires or is so geographically abundant having many different venues etc. and come up with the same kind of statistics without throwing college football under the bus because of a society that don't need a reason for crime or any of the problems that arise from them. Personally the biggest crime going on right now concerning "sports" is the fact that 'congress' is waisting time, our money as well as solutions with their lil' hearings over s'roids, HGH etc. honestly, isn't there something more pressing then dragging this subject to D.C? i know 'crime' is a hell of alot more a bi-product of poverty then sports, (something 'congress' should actually be addressing, along with 1000 other things before dealing with something that they have'nt and can't change anymore then the players have over the years, and yes, i understand and shake my head at the "stats" as well, but please keep this in mind, sports, like poverty (and other things) is predominantly an 'urban' issue NOT sub-urban, like i mentioned there's so much more to this as well as other problems with society much less NCAA football and needs to be thought about outside of the box w/out any prejudice, finger pointing etc. I think understanding these issues and relating to/with them in an honest, firm & collective way is the first step outside of this box we've become trapped in dealing with these issues that have made it damn near impossible to enjoy ESPN or (first take)in the morning's because of the repetitious smack concerning alot of these subjects involving crime n' so forth...P.S GO SC & UCLA *smile*
gatorhippy
posted on January 17, 2008 11:19 PM — 70.121.110.84 — link — abuse? said:
Wow...
You mean someone actually HAD to do a STUDY to realize that when you put LARGE THRONGS of people that don't necessarily LIKE each other and introduce ALCOHOL that their will be an INCREASE in CRIMES such as those listed above?
Wow...
I mean...
Just...
Wow...
Who would've thunk it?
Seems almost preposterous...
~rolls eyes~
40 Acres of Burnt Orange
posted on January 18, 2008 12:13 AM — 76.182.205.22 — link — abuse? said:
Hey gatorhippy unfortunately i was not posting from my cruiser last night. My Sergeant would have my a$$ if i was! OU Ron im never drunk when im working and you ain't got to worry about speeding when you cross the line just when your in the Dallas area! It's all in good fun when i pull over Sooners and Aggies!Except in October and November! Hey Bevo wish i could get a raise some crazy sh** happens out here! Lennie i agree with you %100 about there not being ranking at least until you start your conference schedules, because these douchebags always seem to want to rank the same teams at the top every year. Also would like to apologize for my little tirade i went on after we got raped my Kansas State. Thats why you should never angry drunk type on here! There i think i covered everything.
HookEmHorns!
OU-Ron
posted on January 18, 2008 7:33 AM — 68.12.216.68 — link — abuse? said:
40 Acres, It's all good, actually I have been treated pretty good by the Law Enforcement in the state of Texas. I average about 6 trips a year traveling thru your state..
All of my family lives in Texas, I'm the only outcast.
I have twin nieces, one graduated from Texas and the other one from Sam Houston St, both were cheerleaders at both schools.....
40 Acres of Burnt Orange
posted on January 18, 2008 11:12 AM — 76.182.205.22 — link — abuse? said:
@29 that's good to hear. I remember a couple of years back visiting a friend of mine up in Moore, OK and i was going like 85 in my car and got pulled over by a Trooper. I flashed my badge and we ended up talking for about 30 minutes. Really nice guy.
My sergeant is ex-LAPD and he has 3 kids a daughter that graduated from TX A&M, a son who currently goes to Texas and a daughter who may get a scholarship to OK ST. He said his son and his daughter's BF nearly get in a fight every year during the Lone Star Showdown! Maybe ill go and give his son a hand this year.
40 Acres of Burnt Orange
posted on January 18, 2008 11:32 AM — 76.182.205.22 — link — abuse? said:
Hey Kev those statistics are freaking nuts. I do remember the Ohio State fan's going nut's in Colombus after they beat us back in 2006. Just imagine your town being invaded by 100,000 Buckeye fan's! They were everywhere like a swarm of locust coming to kill your crop.
You would actually be surpised but SMU fan's can get pretty rowdy (I sometimes work off duty security at their home games) and that's when they are getting their a$$ kicked repeatedly. I could only imagine if they ever start winning again.
Zac said:
posted on January 18, 2008 12:24 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?
Kevin, this is most amusing. You've posted a thread which discusses a positive correlation between college football and crime. And what happens, it turns into a forum regarding one group of guys discussing one school in particular. AND, the discussion involves the hiring of a specific coach from one school to another and his frustration running the offense at the former school.
Now here's what's funny. It doesn't involve FL!!! In fact, it was a Gator (the Genius himself) who attempted to get things back on topic, and that lasted all of one post.
Something else that's funny. I have no doubt, in addition to myself, most of us knew this years ago without the benefit of a study. In fact, you could have made the same claim regarding Pro-Baseball, Pro-Football, or Pro-Hockey more than 30 years ago. It's been going on for at least that long, and continues to go on.
Based upon personal experience, here's a list of facilities where I've witnessed individuals hauled off in cuffs: Arrowhead Stadium, Beaver Stadium, Camden Yard, Fenway Park, Fox Borough Stadium, Giants Stadium, Kauffman (Royals) Stadium, Pitt Stadium, Shea Stadium, The Medowlands, Mountaineer Field (old & new), Three Rivers Stadium, and Yankee Stadium. This doesn't at all include my experiences with Hockey or Basketball, and I'm willing to bet, from what I have personally witnessed, Hockey is worse, especially given the number of incidents when compared with the fan base.
That having been said, I have to ask those from CO who performed this study the following: What was your 1st clue? What took you so long in coming to this conclusion?
Zac said:
posted on January 18, 2008 12:46 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?
40 Acres of Burnt Orange (Post 28), I didn't know you were a "Blue Knight". (Or, in your state would that be Burnt Orange Knight?) Cool!!! I once applied for and was offered a commission to the WV St Police Academy. At that time, with my degree in Chemistry + Biology & Math background, coupled with a great deal of industrial safety experience, I was hoping to get into their Ballistics & Forensics Lab. One of the openings closed, and well, now I'm in nuclear power.
Anyway, at the risk of invoking Kevin's ire, I just picked up a SKYY 9mm out of Ft Lauderdale, FL. The dealer I bought it from says his customers have really liked them. From everything I can tell, it's a Kel-Tech clone; I guarantee the slides are interchangeable. I haven't had the opportunity to fire it yet, and was wondering if you knew anything about them. You can catch me on the open thread if you like.
By the way, are you local, county, or state?
posted on January 19, 2008 11:46 AM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?War Eagle Atlanta
said:
It was a joke about their death penalty, Bevo. They didn't have a football team for two years, but they played soccer instead.
A little before your time, but something that should be in your repertoire of knowledge as a Texas fan...
Please note that all comments are subject to the Fanblogs Comment Policy.
c-dogg said:
posted on January 17, 2008 8:43 PM — 76.188.144.133 — link — abuse?Yep...it's official...
The offseason has started @ fanblogs. Always a challenge for the employees of Rivals.com(or whoever owns this blog).
Good luck Kev & the gang. You guys did a good job last year during the dry spell of no colege football.