I think the crime rate vs proximity of military bases is because of the recruiting practices over the years.
Back in the old days, judges would give young men the choice of going to jail or joining the military, in the hope that they would be re-oriented into a civil human being. I don’t know if they still do that, bu I wouldn’t be surprised if the do....................
No, I think it has more to do with large numbers of young single men with large amounts of disposable income as one can find in these military bases next door to these small towns. This disposable income in the hands of young single men attracts predators who feed off this wealth. Soon after the pay raises of the mid 1960s, I observed the criminal element with their prostitution and drugs move into the areas surrounding our military bases.
Just as when you leave food laying around you'll attract rats, when you leave easy money laying around you'll attract criminals.