Firearms Essay

THE SOCIAL DISORDER THEORY FOR CRIME:
The Social disorder theory---or social disorganization theory---found its beginnings in the early 1900s at the University of Chicago. The Chicago School of sociology put together an ecological perspective on social disorder and how it relates to criminal activity within an urban setting. Modern sociology theory questions whether or not this perspective accounts for the non-criminal activity present within high crime areas.
There are several more, but the most popular among sociologists whom subscribe to the Social Disorder concept is the “Four Wishes Theory”.   I will explicate below:

  1. Social disorder theory is based on the influence of family and social groups in the socialization of the individual. The Four Wishes Theory represents the four primary values that emerge within a given family or group, or neighborhood environment. The four wishes refer to instinctual desires for security, new experiences, recognition and domination that each individual harbors. The occurrence of criminal activity is a proposed effect of social disorganization caused by weak social relationships and the communication difficulties that arise within culturally diverse populations.
As I mentioned at the outset of this post, there other pertinent specific “sub-theories” associated with the Social Disorder concept.   Such as the Concentric Zone Model of Branthingham (1981), the Crime Rates Principle of Faris (as cited in Byrne Cohen, L. & M. Felson. (1979), and the Racial Invariance principle as developed in 1995 by Sampson and Bean.

Brantingham, P. & P. (1981). Environmental Criminology. Beverly Hills: Sage.
Bursik, R. (1988). "Social Disorganization and Theories of Crime" Criminology 26:519-51.
Bean J. & R. Sampson. (eds.) (1986). The Social Ecology of Crime. NY: Springer-Verlag.
Byrne Cohen, L. & M. Felson. (1979), "Social Change and Crime Rates" American Sociological Review 44: 588-08.
Faris, R. (1967). Chicago... [continues]

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