NCJ Number
121398
Journal
Social Forces Volume: 67 Issue: 3 Dated: (March 1989) Pages: 751-765
Date Published
1989
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Shaw and McKay's "Crime or Delinquency Area" theory, that certain areas of the city are spawning-grounds for crime and delinquency, has been postulated to be applicable to urban settlements in non-Western societies.
Abstract
This postulate is investigated through ecological data on the place of residence or criminals and juvenile delinquents and on the location of their offenses in Lagos, Nigeria. The data are discussed and compared with similar pioneer studies in the U.S. The research confirms Shaw and McKay's theory that heterogeneity leads to weak social control, resulting in high crime and delinquency rates. However, in Lagos, the cultural setting which generates heterogenity is found in high- and medium-rent areas, rather than in physically deteriorated locations. 2 tables, 1 figure, 7 notes, 16 references.