Family 2: Social Disorganization Theory

I. Context: early 20th century, massive immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe, rising public concern with crime and deviance, appeal of evolutionary, genetic, and racist theories... eugenics movement, Immigration restriction laws of 1921/1924

II. Thomas and Znaniecki, Polish Peasant In Europe and the United States

A. Social disorganization: the loss by which the authority and influence of an earlier culture and system of control is undermined and eventually destroyed

B. Causal factors (independent variables)

1. Change of national culture

2. Rural/urban transition..

C. Result: Loss of parental prestige and authority, particularly for boys

III. Thrasher, The Gang, 1927

A. Majority of gangs organized on an ethnic basis. In order of prevalence: Polish, Italian, Irish, Negro, Jewish.

B. Definition of social disorganization emphasizing cultural conflict

C. Areas in which many successive ethnic groups had battled for "turf," including groups that were by 1927 part of the dominant majorities... they in their turn had contributed disproportionate numbers of gang members

D. Connection of gangs and crime

IV. Contemporary theory: William Julius Wilson--The Truly Disadvantaged, When Work Disappears

A. Social organization: extent to which neighborhood residents are able to maintain social control and realize their common goals

B. Key causal factors

1. Deindustrialization

2. Concentrated poverty

3. Joblessness

4. Outmigration

C. Loss of jobs in Chicago's 3 poorest neighborhoods, 1950-1980

Job category	1950	1980
Mgrs/profs	5270	2225
Clerical/sales	11,081	5164
Crafts/foremen	6554	1338
Operatives/laborers	35,508	2150
Household/service	25,182	5203

V. "Communities and Crime," Robert Sampson, 1995

1. Divided Chicago into 343 cluster, averaging 8,000 each

2. Sample of 80 clusters, representing class/race diversity

3. Interviews in all 343 clusters, but more in the 80

"Please tell me if it is very likely, likely, unlikely, or very unlikely, that people in your neighborhood would respond to:

a. Kids skipping school
b. Kids doing graffiti
c. Kids showing disrespect to adults
d. Kids fighting in front of someone's house
etc.

4. Causal Model

a. Independent variables: Concentrated poverty,
Immigration, Residential stability

b. Intervening variable: informal social control

c. Dependent variable: crime/victimization

VI. Social disorganization and family violence:

Video: "Generations of Violence"

Relate to chapter 4 of Currie (watch for the family impacts of concentrated and acute poverty and long-term joblessness)