According to Shaw and McKay, the areas with high crime rates were fluid over time, often depending on which racial and ethnic group resided in the areas at the time.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Shaw and McKay attributed high crime rates to social disorganization in certain neighborhoods, not to the racial or ethnic composition of those areas. They argued that crime was related to the breakdown of social institutions such as family, school, and community organizations, rather than the characteristics of the people living there.

According to Shaw and McKay, the Areas with High Crime