Culture as a Determinant of Crime

Abstract

Traditional cultural theories of crime have often overlooked the effects of environmental factors and their impact on human behavior. As such, the present research observes the effects of culture on dictating a society’s vulnerability to particular types of crime. In analyzing truck theft in various regions of the United States in relation to the proportions of trucks registered in these areas, suggestions are made regarding the ability of culture to determine criminality. Data collected from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and National Highway Administration generally suggest that truck theft is more likely to occur in Western and Southern regions of the country, areas where trucks are recognized as ingrained artifacts of their respective cultures.