Skip to main content
Log in

Crime, social disorganization, and social structure: A research note on the use of interurban ecological models

  • Notes and Comments
  • Published:
American Journal of Criminal Justice Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The social disorganization perspective, as set forth by Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay, has enjoyed renewed interest in criminological explanations of crime and delinquency. This paper extends this perspective beyond the traditional intraurban focus of the neighborhood to a more encompassing interurban model, using 682 SMSA counties. The results using these counties were generally consistent with neighborhood studies, demonstrating the robustness of the social disorganization model.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Beasley, R.W., & Antunes, G. (1974). The etiology of urban crime: An ecological analysis.Criminology, 4, 439–461.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Belsley, D.A., Kuh, E., & Welsch, R.E. (1980).Regression diagnostics: Identifying influential data and sources of collinearity. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blau, J.R., & Blau, P.M. (1982). The cost of inequality: Metropolitan structure and violent crime.American Sociological Review, 47, 114–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blumstein, A., Cohen, J., & Rosenfeld, R. (1992). The UCR-NCS relationship revisited: A reply to Menard.Criminology, 30, 115–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bordua, D.J. (1958). Juvenile delinquency and ‘anomie’: An attempt at replication.Social Problems, 6, 230–238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bursik, R.J. (1986). Ecological stability and the dynamics of delinquency. In A.J. Reiss & M. Tonry (Eds.),Communities and crime (pp. 35–96). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bursik, R.J., Grasmick, H.G., & Chamlin, M.B. (1990). The effect of longitudinal arrest patterns on the development of robbery trends at the neighborhood level.Criminology, 28, 431–450.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bursik, R.J., & Grasmick, H.G. (1993).Neighborhoods and crime: The dimensions of effective community control. New York: Lexington Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Byrne, J.M. (1983).The ecological correlates of property crime in the United States: A macroenvironmental analysis. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.

    Google Scholar 

  • Byrne, J.M., & Sampson, R.J. (1986). Key issues in the social ecology of crime. In J.M. Byrne & R.J. Sampson (Eds.),The Social Ecology of Crime (pp. 1–22) New York: Springer-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chatterjee, S., & Price, B. (1991).Regression analysis by example (2nd ed.). New York: John Wiley and Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, R. (1984). Opportunity and crime rates.British Journal of Criminology, 24, 74–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, L.E., & Felson, M. (1979). Social change and crime rate trends: A routine activities approach.American Sociological Review, 44, 588–608.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, L.E., & Land, K.C. (1984). Discrepancies between crime reports and crime surveys: Urban and structural determinants.Criminology, 22, 499–530.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crutchfield, R.D., Geerken, M.R., & Gove, W.R. (1982). Crime rates and social integration: The impact of metropolitan mobility.Criminology, 20, 467–478.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duffield, D.W. (1991).Crime, social disorganization, and structure: A replication using county level data. Unpublished master’s thesis, Auburn University, Auburn, AL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Esbensen, F., & Huizinga, D. (1990). Community Structure and Drug Use: From a Social Disorganization Perspective.Justice Quarterly, 7, 691–709.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fagan, J., Piper, E., & Moore, M. (1986). Violent delinquents and urban youths.Criminology, 24, 439–471.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farley, J.E. (1987). Suburbanization and central-city crime rates: New evidence and a reinterpretation.American Journal of Sociology, 93, 688–700.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon, R.A. (1967). Issues in the ecological study of delinquency.American Sociological Review, 32, 927–944.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon, R.A. (1968). Issues in multiple regression.American Journal of Sociology, 73, 592–599.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gove, W.R., & Hughes, M. (1980). Reexamining the ecological fallacy: A study in which aggregate data are critical in investigating the pathological effects of living alone.Social Forces, 58, 1157–1177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenburg, J.H. (1956). The measurement of linguistic diversity.Language, 32, 123–163.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harries, K.D. (1980).Crime and the environment. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hindelang, M.J., Hirschi, T., & Weis, J.G. (1979). Correlates of delinquency: The illusion of discrepancy between self-report and official measures.American Sociological Review, 44, 995–1014.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaccard, J., Turrisi, R.,& Wan, C.K. (1990).Interaction effects in multiple regression. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kapsis, R.E. (1978). Residential succession and delinquency: A test of Shaw and McKay’s theory of cultural transmission.Criminology, 15, 459–486.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy, L.W., & Forde, D.R. (1990). Routine activities and crime: An analysis of victimization in Canada.Criminology, 28, 137–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kornhauser, R.R. (1978).Social sources of delinquency: An appraisal of analytic models. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kowalski, G.S., Faupel, C.E., & Starr, P.D. (1987). Urbanism and suicide: A study of American counties.Social Forces, 66, 85–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kowalski, G.S. & Duffield, D.W. (1990). The impact of the rural population component on homicide rates in the United States: A county-level analysis.Rural Sociology, 55, 77–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Land, K.C., McCall, P.L., & Cohen, L.E. (1990). Structural covariates of homicide rates: Are there any invariances across time and social space?American Journal of Sociology, 95, 922–963.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lander, B. (1954).Towards an understanding of juvenile delinquency: A study of 8,464 cases of juvenile delinquency in Baltimore. New York: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCleary, R., Nienstedt, B.C., & Ervin, J.M. (1982). Uniform Crime Reports as organizational outcomes: Three time-series experiments.Social Problems, 29, 361–372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Messner, S.F. (1982). Poverty, inequality, and the urban homicide rate: Some unexpected findings.Criminology, 20, 103–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Messner, S.F. (1983). Regional and racial effects on the urban homicide rate: The subculture of violence revisited.American Journal of Sociology, 88, 997–1006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miethe, T.D., Stafford, M.C., & Long, J.S. (1987). Routine activities/lifestyle and victimization.American Sociological Review, 52, 184–194.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mladenka, K.R., & Hill, K.Q. (1976). A reexamination of the etiology of urban crime.Criminology, 13, 491–506.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neter, J., Wasserman, W., & Kutner, M.H. (1985). Applied linear statistical models (2nd ed.). Homewood, IL: Irwin.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Brien, R.M. (1985).Crime and victimization data. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patterson, E.B. (1991). Poverty, income inequality, and community crime rates.Criminology, 29, 755–776.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roncek, D.W. (1981). Dangerous places: Crime and residential environment.Social Forces, 60, 74–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sampson, R.J. (1984). Group size, heterogeneity, and intergroup conflict: A test of Blau’s inequality and heterogeneity.Social Forces, 62, 618–639.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sampson, R.J. (1985). Neighborhood and crime: The structural determinants of personal victimization.Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 22, 7–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sampson, R.J. (1986). Neighborhood family structure and the risk of personal victimization. In J.M. Byrne & R.J. Sampson (Eds.),The social ecology of crime. New York: Springer-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sampson, R.J. (1988). Local friendship ties and community attachment in mass society: A multilevel systemic model.American Sociological Review, 53, 766–779.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sampson, R.J., & Castellano, T.C. (1982). Economic inequality and personal victimisation.British Journal of Criminology, 22, 363–385.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sampson, R.J., Castellano, T.C., & Laub, J. (1981).Analysis of National Crime Survey data to study serious delinquent behavior. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sampson, R.J., & Groves, W.B. (1989). Community structure and crime: Testing social-disorganization theory.American Journal of Sociology, 94, 774–802.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, C.R., & McKay, H.D. (1942).Juvenile delinquency and urban areas. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shichor, D., Decker, D.L., & O’Brien, R.M. (1979). Population density and criminal victimization: Some unexpected findings in central cities.Criminology, 17, 184–193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simcha-Fagan, O., & Schwartz, J.E. (1986). Neighborhood and delinquency: An assessment of contextual effects.Criminology, 24, 667–703.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skogan, W.G. (1974). The validity of official crime statistics: An empirical investigation.Social Science Quarterly, 55, 25–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D.A., & Jarjoura, G.R. (1988). Social structure and criminal victimization.Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 25, 27–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • United States Department of Commerce. (1988).County Statistics File 3 [machinereadable data file]. Washington, DC: Bureau of the Census [Producer and Distributor].

    Google Scholar 

  • United States Department of Justice. (1980–1987). Crime in the United States. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • United States Department of Labor. (1990).Consumer price index detailed report. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watts, A.D., & Watts, T.M. (1981). Minorities and urban crime: Are they the cause or the victims?Urban Affairs Quarterly, 16, 423–436.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, K.R. (1984). Economic sources of homicide.American Sociological Review, 49, 283–289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wirth, L. (1938). Urbanism as a way of life.American Journal of Sociology, 44, 3–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Petee, T.A., Kowalski, G.S. & Duffield, D.W. Crime, social disorganization, and social structure: A research note on the use of interurban ecological models. AJCJ 19, 117–132 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02887442

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02887442

Keywords

Navigation