J
local
Battalion/Page 3
February 25, 1983
.Vl(
Report statistics show state
murder rate increasinsr
o
by Maureen Carmody
hat job;
l P r ofessio
iously ..
InVhurt
• j .. Battalion Staff
|( -ai sidej A Texan’s chance of beconi-
' and of in ja murder victim has drama-
sheaddi ally increased in the last 1(
first tin ars, according to a recent
and,» l( ly hy t i le Criminal Justice
edherb nter at ^ am Houston State
he called] ■
In fact, the study shows that
murder rate in Texas is bi
asing almost three times as
soft on 1 1 as l h e population growth
e. While the state’s popula-
n increased 26.7 percent
im 1972-81, the murder rate
eased 69.9 percent. In 1972
eout of every 8,1 18 Texans
s murdered. By 1981, the
uportion was one in 5,906.
Statistics also revealed that
ftnwas almost five times more
lave const ely to be murdered than a
man, and a black male was
mance,
soft on
er more
who aci
e White!
to do
said. “1
ie decisii
when
EPAis
>i Whitel ht times more
amage
irdered than a
likely to be
white male,
up to
mber seven on the list of the
110 causes of death in Texas
compared to being number
with her Ir ^ er a * so h as moved
however,
year at
10 in 1972.
The study also revealed that
handguns are being used less as
murder weapons than knive§
and other sharp objects.
Dr. Ben Crouch, Texas A&M
professor of sociology and cri
minology, gave some explana
tions about the sudden change
and dramatic increase of the
Texas murder rate.
“The murder rate in the state
— and even the country — is
parallel with sociological and de
mographic shifts,” he said.
“Anytime you have rapid social
change, you have high rates of
violence. When the" economy is
changing, you will have lots of
jobs one year, and then a few
years later those jobs have
shifted or disappeared.
“Our country has not only
gone through economic hard-
times, but economic hardtimes in
the major industries such as steel
and auto. Many people involved
in these industries are well-paid
but uneducated and have li
mited skills. When the industry
shifted, what did they do? They
came south. And not only did
people come, but a particular
age group came,” he said.
Crouch said that the 20-29
age group — which he called the
“dangerous age group” — was
the most likely to murder and to
be murdered.
He also said that it is not sur
prising that there are more mur
ders, proportionally, in large
cities.
According to the report, in
1981 18.2 of every 100,000 per
sons living in cities with a popu
lation of 50,000 or more were
victims of murder. The rate for
rural areas was 11.3, and for
small cities it was 8.9.
“There was a disproportion
ate number of young males that
came to the big cities such as
Houston and Dallas and San
Antonio,” Crouch said.
He said that with that many
people in search of work,
aggressions naturally run high.
In 1976, 67 percent of all
murder victims knew the offen-
’ hard for:
then atiad
said.
!0 to compete tonight
or Miss A&M title
by Melissa Adair
Battalion Staff
The winner of the 1983-1984
iss Texas A&M title will be
nounced at the fourth annual
ss Texas A&M University
icholarship pageant at 7 tonight
"Rudder Auditorium.
Twenty contestants will be
[ged on talent performances
cl in swimsuit and evening
|wn competitions tonight.
[They also wdll be judged on
Irsonal interviews conducted
ll|s morning.
The judging panel will con-
tof three Miss Texas Pageant
Iges and two local judges.
fiecruiang and entries cpor-
lator Connie Gillespie said
the pageant is not a beauty con
test. Rather, it concentrates on
talent and intellect. Judging
criteria will be 50 percent talent,
30 percent interviews, and 20
percent appearance.
Included in the pageant prog
ram will be a gymnastics per
formance by the current Miss
Texas A&M Gina Geiger and a
banjo performance by Tom
Joseph, head yell leader.
Joseph also will be the Master
of Ceremonies. Former Miss
Texas and Miss Texas A&M
Sheri Ryman will be Mistress of
Ceremonies.
A singing performance will be
given by former Miss New Mex
ico Susan Spartz, who will be
accompanied by the Aggieland
Orchestra. The Ross Volunteers
der, but by 1981 the percentage
had fallen to 58.1 percent.
Although crime percentages
changed, figures for punish
ment remained fairly stable.
Life sentences declined almost 5
percent, while death sentences
remained the same at 2 percent.
In 1976, 61.1 percent of con
victed murderers were sent to
prison. This climbed slightly in
1981 to 65.5 percent.
The top 10 cities in the num
ber of murders has also re
mained fairly consistent. The
top five were Houston, Dallas,
San Antonio, Corpus Christi
and Fort Worth.
Local statistics — given by De
tective Gene Knowles of the
Bryan Police Department —
don’t appear to be as bleak, but
there has been a noticable in
crease in the past few years. In
1982 there were eight murders,
in 1981, nine; in 1980, five; in
1979, five and in previous years
— except for 1974 with seven
murders and 1972 with six —
there were four or less.
also will be at the pageant.
The winner of the pageant
will receive a $ 1,000 scholarship,
a $1,000 wardrobe, the use of a
luxury car, the official Miss
Texas A&M crown and a tro
phy. She also will receive the
first Miss Texas A&M 50
diamond pendant valued at over
$3,000 to wear throughout her
reign.
The winner of the pageant
will representTexas A&MJuly 9
in Fort Worth at the Miss Texas
Pageant.
Tickets for the pageant are
available at the MSC Box Office.
Student tickets are $3.50 and
non-student tickets are $6.50.
PICK A CARD.
ANY CARD.
AND GET
CASH AT ANY
TELLER 2.
Now you don’t have to have a Teller 2
card to enjoy Teller 2 convenience.
You’re now part of Pulse SM , a growing
statewide network of automatic tellers.
And since First City Teller 2 is a mem
ber of the Pulse System, an Anytime or
Pulse Card from your Bank gives you
access to any of our convenient loca
tions. Which means you can get cash
any hour. Day or Night, all around
And we have 2 locations that are easy
and convenient. In Bryan, Teller 2/Pulse
is located at the corner of 29th St. and
Texas Ave. In College Station, a conve
nient drive-thru facility is located at the
comer of Dominik and Puryear. Now
you can enjoy 24-hour banking without
going out of your way, or even getting
out of your ear.
town.
But why wait? Pick a card. Pick
one of our First City Teller 2/Pulse locations
and cash in on the benefits of Teller 2 Convenience.
Participating Cards:
1. Anytime 5.
2. Quicksilver 6.
Boss Banker 7.
3.
4.
Dough Boy
Mini-Bank
Ready Bank
Southwest Banking Card
REACHING FURTHER.
DOING MORE.
PlRSTClTY
National Bank of Bryan
Member FDIC