Social Disorganization Theory

The Social disorganization theory is an idea under the social structure theory that focuses on the urban environmental conditions that contribute to the development of crime. Furthermore, the theory states that if one lives in a deteriorated neighborhood where there is inadequate social control and law-violating gangs, there is a greater risk of becoming an offender themselves. There are many factors that contribute to an urban area becoming one of the centers of criminal activity. The most prominent ideas under the social disorganization theory that contribute to an area becoming a crime-ridden concentric zone are as follows: transitional neighborhoods, community deterioration, and chronic unemployment. Transitional neighborhoods are those that are experiencing a shift in population demographics, usually in the form of economic status. The middle and upper-class families who live in these areas are able to move to safer locations, which results in the lower-class being heavily concentrated in one area. As a result of the poverty concentration, racial discrimination and segregation began to form. It is most common in many inner-cities throughout the country, especially Chicago, that the most prominent races and ethnicities are the African American and Hispanic communities. This also contributes to many racial tensions between inner-city

Community deterioration results from local businesses going bankrupt and or not keeping the facade appealing. Without much business and commerce occurring, the underfunded community experiences a rise of crime due to the rise in number of abandoned buildings which give a home to gangs and drug dealers. Communities that have a high number of deserted buildings have high crime rates, especially with gun violence. These run-down buildings also instill community fear, which leads to a lack of collective