Social Disorganization Theory Of Crime

In order to explain the phenomena that lower-class society creates the crime problems that exists in the United States society, criminologists formulated “social structure theories,” which suggest, “that social and economic forces operating in deteriorated lower-class areas are the key for determinant of criminal behavior patterns” (Siegel, 192). The three branches of social structure theories are; social disorganization theory, strain theory and cultural deviance theory. To help you understand these, I will give a better explanation. Social disorganization theory, “focuses on the conditions within the urban environment that affect crime rates” (Siegel, 193). In communities in which persons have left, other minorities have moved in and there

Within the groups of society, such as middle- class and lower-class, there are groups that form, called subculture groups. These subculture groups feel that, “community norms interfere with their personal desire for the neighborhood improvement” (Siegel, 213). For instance, the lower class can create a response to the strain that is within their group. So Thorsten Sellin’s work founded the idea of conduct norms, in which, “the content of the law, may create a clash between conventional, middle-class rules and splinter groups, such as ethnic and racial minorities who are excluded from the social mainstream” (Siegel, 213). These groups then create their own conduct norms which provide them their own set of rules or norms within their

For instance, for those who are lower class, there are direct financial programs to help keep them from suffering, such as welfare or food assistance. There is also work programs that help them find jobs and assist them while doing so. Also, there are, “efforts to reduce crime by improving the community structure in high-crime inner-city areas” (Siegel, 219). In particular, there is a program called, “Weed and Seed,” in which law enforcement weeds out criminals in a particular area and then brings, “human services to the area, encompassing prevention, intervention, treatment and neighborhood revitalization” (Siegel, 220). These programs aim to “prevent, control, and reduce violent crime, drug abuse and gang activity in high targeted high-crime neighborhoods across the country” (Siegel,