Demographic Change and Crime in Japan

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  • 日本の人口変動と犯罪
  • 日本の人口変動と犯罪--1950～2000年
  • ニホン ノ ジンコウ ヘンドウ ト ハンザイ 1950 2000ネン
  • 1950〜2000年
  • 1950-2000

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Description

The demographics of Japan are changing rapidly as a result of low birth rates and an aging population ("shoshi-koreika"). This paper investigates the relationship between the age-structure of the population and the crime situation in the second half of the 20^<th> Century. Six categories of crime (homicide, burglary, injury, rape, theft, and fraud) are analyzed in six age groups (10-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and over 60 years of age) over six periods of time (1950, 1960, 1970, 1990, and 2000) by (A) arrest rates, and (B) commitment scores ("C-score"). (A)The rates of arrest for each crime are expressed in a "Social Change Map" along an "age" axis and a "time period" axis. (B) Changes in the C-score for each age group (= percentage of arrests of the age group for total arrests/the percentage of the age group in the total population) are expressed in a line graph. The following results were obtained: 1) In 1950-60, the C-score of 20 year olds reached a high level in most types of criminal activity. 2) After 1970, the C-score of 10-19 year olds rose, especially with respect to injury and theft. After 1990, the C-score of those in the 10-19 age group rose, especially with respect to burglary. 3) Recently, the C-score of middle-aged and older individuals (over 60) have risen slightly, but remained low, with respect to homicide, burglary, injury, and theft.

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