NCJ Number
103315
Editor(s)
A J Reiss,
M Tonry
Date Published
1986
Length
429 pages
Annotation
This collection of 11 essays reviews current research into the role that a community's social, physical, and economic structure plays in shaping delinquent and criminal behavior. Particular attention is paid to urban communities and variations in their crime rates.
Abstract
The opening paper argues for the merger of the two research traditions that focus on individuals as victims or offenders and on variability in community crime rates. Two authors focus on specific cities: the ecological stability of Chicago's local neighborhoods since 1940 and Clifford Shaw's and Henry D. McKay's pioneer work in social disorganization and the evolution of high crime areas in Los Angeles County. Issues examined in other papers include the influence of the housing market on crime patterns in British cities and the impact of gentrification on crime in American cities. One essay explores both the causes and consequences of fear of crime for urban neighborhoods, while another looks at relationships between employment, social disorganization, and crime. Data from 171 American cities provide the basis for research into the effects of local criminal justice sanctions and family structure on robbery and homicide. Two essays address the community context of policing, assessing the impact of individual neighborhoods on formal policing strategies and discretionary police behaviors. The final presentation critiques current research on the links between environmental design, crime, and crime prevention. References and index.