Theories Of Social Disorganization

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The theories of social disorganization and differential association are two common sociological perspective that seek to help explain differentials in crime rates across spatial locations. These two perspectives have many differences and similarities in their explanation of crime variance across neighborhoods with social disorganization focusing on structural characteristics and social controls, while differential association focuses on differences in cultural norms of the community. Despite these difference there had been empirical support on both sides. Here, I will outline both theories along with some empirical research supporting their logic as well as show how the logic of these theories coincide and contradict.
Within the context of …show more content…
The emphasis on informal social controls has been further elaborated through the restatement in the systemic model put forth by Bursik and Grasmick (1993). This model further specified this relationship through multiple levels of social control. The informal structures of self-regulation operate on the private and parochial levels of social control (Bursik and Grasmick, 1993). These levels refer to intimate peer relationships within the community and the ability of community residents to form networks of neighborhood supervision (Bursik and Grasmick, 1993). The formal component of social control describes the public level, which includes the ability of residents to gain resources from outside agencies like the government or police (Bursik and Grasmick, 1993). An accumulation of these three levels of control combine to provide the greatest crime reducing affects, as there is more to be lost from engaging in deviant …show more content…
One prominent backing for this perspective is the ethnographic research performed by Elijah Anderson in the violent inner cities (1997). Here, he identifies these differences in cultural norms in his analysis of “the code of the street” (Anderson, 1997). This street orientation is contrasted to that of decent middle class values. This code of the street refers to a system of norms regulating interpersonal public behavior including the use of violence (Anderson, 1997). Within his observations, he found respect to be more highly valued than obedience of the law (Anderson, 1997). The disrespect of others is a sanction for violent response as well as the loss of respect can increase chances of victimization (Anderson, 1997). This is, in part, due to norms opposing the police and distrusting the judicial system, contributing to the need of individuals to “take care of themselves” (Anderson,
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