New Development in Educational Cartography

Abstract

A series of computer-generated maps are presented, illustrating the state-level distribution of major crimes in the United States for the year 1968. The maps are divided into two broad groups—those relating to (a) crimes of violence, and (b) crimes against property. In the violent crime group, distributions are shown for murder, rape, robbery, and assault. The dominance of the South in terms of homicide is particularly striking. Burglary, larceny over fifty dollars, and auto theft are the property crimes represented. Western states, and various highly metropolitan states (such as New York) generally exhibit the highest property crime rates. Summary tables show the states with extreme (high or low) crime rates. States with the lowest rates generally lack large metropolitan nodes, while the converse is true, with California, New York, and Maryland heading the list of states with high rates in multiple crime categories.