Analysis Of Three Points Made By Young People In Their Letters To The Chicago Times

The three specific connections that can be found between the points made by the young people in their letters to the Chicago Times and the main ideas of the social disorganization theory are: In the summertime, low-income neighborhoods in Chicago experience an increase in delinquency and crime. Second point, there is little police intervention or protection from gang activity in these communities and the people who are not involved feel like they have nobody to turn to and most resort to hiding inside to avoid victimization. Last, youth not only would like more protection from violence in their neighborhoods but better relationships between law enforcement officers and the community. These three points can be found on page 126, in the article, Voices of Youth Dealing Crime and Delinquency.

Kristin Bates introduces collective efficacy, “Social cohesion among neighbors that is characterized by efforts to make positive changes in their neighborhoods”(125). This edition of disorganization theory best fits for the three points made by the young people in their letters to the Chicago Times because it illustrates the community reaching out and seeking help in order to make a safe environment in their community. The original disorganization theory states, “Remember, some social disorganization theorists originally believed that social disorganization was simply a stage of a community’s life that would resolve itself and become organized in time” (Bates, Pg. 130). By adding Robert Sampson 's collective efficacy to the original theory, the theory of social disorganize makes a stronger connection between the three points that the young people made in their letters to the Chicago Times regarding their research on their