Deck 8: Social Disorganization Theory

Question 1

Social disorganization theory of crime and delinquency was developed by sociologists at Columbia University who were searching for an explanation of the high crime rates in Manhattan.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Social disorganization theory views social disorganization not only as a cause of crime but also a cause of drug addiction, alcoholism, and mental illness.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Social disorganization theory proposes that crime results when formal and informal systems of sanctions break down to the point that the benefits of crime exceed its costs.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Recent explications of social disorganization theory by Bursik, Sampson, and others suggest that social disorganization causes crime indirectly by undermining informal control systems within neighborhoods and communities.

Question 5

Recent research suggests that the effect of economic inequality on crime is not direct but rather mediated by the strength of social institutions.

Question 6

Detached workers with delinquent gangs were used in both the Chicago Area Project and the Mobilization for Youth programs.

Question 7

Social disorganization is a macro-level theory.

Question 8

Social disorganization was first used to study rural crime rates.

Question 9

Zone III refers to the zone in transition.

Question 10

Social capital refers to networks, norms, and the social trust.

Question 11

Research found that the number of active voters in a street segment was correlated with the street segment's crime rates.

Question 12

Code of the street asserts that social disorganization fosters a social cohesion that acts as a form of control to prevent the use of violence.

Question 13

According to evaluation of the MTO program, relocating youth out of socially disorganized neighborhoods did not lead to noticeable reductions in violent arrests.

Question 14

Early studies in urban ecology characterized as socially disorganized a high-crime geographical area known as the:

A) zone in transition
B) encroachment region
C) hobohemia section
D) underworld
E) zone of cultural displacement

Question 15

The primary aim of the Chicago Area Project was to:

A) identify and intervene with juvenile gang leaders
B) provide people at the bottom of the socioeconomic scale with educational and vocational opportunities
C) improve the physical security of homes and businesses
D) foster neighborhood organization by improving informal networks of social control
E) encourage the use of birth control to reduce poverty and overcrowding

Question 16

Which of the following represents a problem associated with social disorganization theory and research?

A) Areas characterized as socially disorganized frequently have very low crime rates.
B) Even in highly disorganized areas, only a minority of the residents are involved in crime.
C) Social disorganization as a concept is lacking in clarity.
D) b and c
E) a, b, and c

Question 17

Among the following, which constitutes the best measure of Shaw and McKay's concept of social disorganization?

A) neighborhood poverty levels
B) rates of residential mobility
C) population density
D) unemployment rates
E) levels of community supervision of children

Question 18

The Chicago Area Project:

A) reflected social disorganization theory
B) attempted to promote conventional values and control in high delinquency neighborhoods
C) formed neighborhood organizations, groups, and programs run by local prosocial adults
D) a and b
E) all of the above

Question 19

Concentric zones looks at:

A) zones around a criminal's home
B) zones around a city
C) zones around a state
D) zones around a country
E) none of the above

Question 20

Concentrated disadvantage refers to:

A) percent of families below the poverty level
B) percent on welfare
C) percent of female-headed households
D) percent unemployed
E) all of the above

Question 21

Whose works were some of the first to base criminological theory from empirical data?

A) Becarria
B) See and Craig
C) Quetelet and Guerry
D) Merton
E) Park and Burgess

Question 22

Social disorganization has been credited with influencing the foundations of which programs?

A) DARE
B) neighborhood watch
C) midnight basketball
D) community policing
E) both b and d

Question 23

How many zones are in the theory developed by Burgess?

A) 5
B) 4
C) 3
D) 2
E) there are no zones in this theory

Question 24

The code of the street concept and its implications bears some resemblance to what theory?

A) Routine activities
B) Social bonding
C) Deterrence
D) Social learning
E) Rational choice

Question 25

Certain areas of cities have very high crime rates consistently from one decade to the next, regardless of the changing racial and ethnic composition of the inhabitants of these areas. Discuss this finding in light of Shaw and McKay's theoretical perspective.

Question 26

Discuss the Chicago Area Project, Midcity Project, and Mobilization for Youth project. Indicate the principal theoretical basis for the projects, describe what programs and activities were put in place in the projects, and review what problems or difficulties were encountered by the projects. Were any studies done to evaluate the effectiveness of the projects? If so, what were the outcomes or conclusions of those evaluations?

Question 27

Why do Bursik and Sampson and Groves stress the need to measure social disorganization in a direct rather than an indirect manner? Do studies using direct versus indirect means turn out differently? Use Jang and Johnson's study on adolescent substance abuse and Silver's study in Chicago as examples of studies using direct versus indirect measures of social disorganization.

Question 28

Social disorganization is a macro theory. Discuss what this means and how this theory differs from a micro-level theory. Provide an example of a micro-level theory, and compare and contrast between the two.

Question 29

Discuss the impact that the work of Quetelet and Guerry had on the development of social disorganization theory. How is this impact still felt today?

Question 30

Define social capital. What value does this concept have when studying crime in a particular area? How might social capital be increased in an area that appears to be lacking?

Question 31

How does the macro approach of social disorganization differ from micro approaches that examine individuals?

Question 32

Describe concentric zone theory. Do you think this theory applies to all major cities? What about smaller cities and towns?

Question 33

Explain whether community leaders could solve issues of solve social disorganization by investing large sums of money into disadvantaged communities.

Question 34

Discuss how concentrated disadvantage, collective efficacy, and social capital relate to social disorganization.