Criminology-Social Disorganization Theory

1920s University of Chicago: Focus on the rapid problems associated with rabid social change -Industrialization -Urbanization -Immigration Drew on metaphors from plant and animal ecology "Natural" processes that characterize the competition for space and resources in cities.

-Challenge the notion that criminal behavior is determined by individual biology, psychology or morality.

When a group of people cannot communicate or cooperate to solve collective problems and enforce social norms.

What community-level factors lead to social disorganization and crime? -Poverty - Ethnic Heterogeneity -Rapid Population Turnover

The existence of social bonds and networks of trust and cooperation in a community

The perceived ability of community residents to mobilize their stock of social capital to accomplish a collective goal

-Large proportion of families below the poverty line -Large proportion of families receive public assistance -Large proportion of adults unemployed -Large proportion of female-headed households with children -Large proportion of residents are racial minorities

-Increases residential mobility -Disrupts neighborhood social networks -Removes "breadwinners" from families -Opens space for new recruits -Criminal Record limits employment -Increases poverty, lure of drug trade -Street Code reinforced in prison -Increase fear, lack of cohesions