Social Disorganization Theory Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Social Disorganization Theory?

Social Disorganization Theory is a sociological theory that suggests that social disorganization in communities can lead to increases in crime. This theory was developed by Clifford R. Shaw and Henry McKay in the early twentieth century. It is based on their research of Chicago’s neighborhoods, which they found had a high rate of delinquency as well as a variety of other social issues, including poverty, overcrowding, and cultural diversity.The main idea behind Social Disorganization Theory is that when communities experience high levels of poverty, overcrowding, and cultural diversity it will lead to the breakdown of shared values within the community. This breakdown leads to an inability for residents to effectively control or monitor behavior in their neighborhood due to the lack of collective or shared values within the community. These conditions create an environment where crime and delinquency are more likely to occur due to weak informal social control mechanisms such as family bonds and neighborhood ties. Social disorganization also has implications for public policy as it provides insight into how government can address issues such as poverty and inequality that contribute to criminal activity within disadvantaged neighborhoods. Various strategies have been implemented over time ranging from programs aimed at reducing poverty through job training or providing educational opportunities for youth living in these areas all the way up to law enforcement initiatives targeting criminal activity occurring in these areas directly through increased police presence or targeted policing strategies like ˜stop-and-frisk’ methods. Overall, Social Disorganization Theory provides an important lens through which we can view crime prevention efforts by understanding how specific environmental factors can lead individuals towards deviant behavior rather than just focusing on individual level explanations such as genetics or personality traits when attempting to explain why certain people commit crimes while others do not.