Neighborhood Watch Research Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Neighborhood Watch Research Study - Essay Example The term social disorganization defines a wide and indefinite range of societal issues. Generally, it refers to a noticeable decline of the behavioral standards because of a lack of authority, or social control, within a specific community. In this environment, what is considered acceptable conduct is not a regular aspect of life as communal organizations do not function as in other, more ‘normal’ communities. This type of situation is most apparent in larger cities that have larger proportions of poor, disenfranchised people but also occurs in pockets of almost all towns. Those cities that are close in proximity to metropolitan areas are more likely to experience the peripheral effects of social disorganization as well as those within their own borders than towns that are geographically isolated. The most prominent and widely recognized theory regarding social disorganization is attributed to Shaw and McKay (1942) although their work has been studied extensively and has undergone a significant evolution since its publication. A case in point, Harvard professor Robert Sampson (1997) and his team supplemented the theory by adding ‘social capital’ and ‘collective efficacy’ to criminological terminology.   Social capital is the level of interdependence within a community and collective efficacy, in simpler terms, is a neighborhood’s capability of maintaining lawful conduct. A societal unit must exhibit an interaction between its authoritative institutions and also among its people, at least a moderate level of social capital, before it can expect any type of advancement in its collective efficacy. In criminology, the theory of routine activities is also frequently considered as a model for the contemporary social disorganization theory.   â⠂¬Å"Routine activities theory holds that in order to eliminate crime anyplace, you need to