Extending Social Disorganization Theory: Modeling the Relationships Between Cohesion, Disorder, and Fear

• NCJ Number: 189322
• Journal: Criminology Volume: 39 Issue: 2 Dated: May 2001 Pages: 293-320
• Author(s): Fred E. Markowitz; Paul E. Bellair; Allen E. Liska; Jianhong Liu
• Date Published: May 2001
• Length: 28 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article examined models of the relationships between disorder, burglary, cohesion, and fear of crime.

Abstract

Taking advantage of recently available panel data and extending social disorganization theory and research, the authors examined the role of neighborhood cohesion in mediating the effects of demographic structure on disorder. Also, they tested the assertion that disorder led to more serious forms of crime, and examined the predictions of community decline theory that disorder and crime increased fear, reduced cohesion, and ultimately lead to more disorder and crime. This study used a sample of neighborhoods from the 1984, 1988, and 1992 waves of the British Crime Survey. There was a favorable response rate averaging 77 percent across the three years. Results were consistent with the major findings in literature that were taken to support social disorganization theory. Low socioeconomic status, ethnic heterogeneity, family disruption, and residential instability increased disorder. When this model was examined for more serious crime (burglary), similar though less strong relationships were found. Results indicated that disorder had an indirect effect on burglary through fear and neighborhood cohesion. Although cohesion reduced disorder, nonrecursive models showed that disorder also reduced cohesion. Part of the effect of disorder on cohesion was mediated by fear. Similar results were obtained in nonrecursive burglary models. Together, the results suggested a feedback loop in which decreases in neighborhood cohesion increased crime and disorder, increased fear, and in turn, further decreased cohesion. Given social disorganization theory’s focus on the links among demographic structure, cohesion, and crime, with continued development, it would remain an important framework that helped explain the causes and consequences of crime at the neighborhood level. 2 figures, 4 tables, 7 notes, 59 references, and appendix.