Citation

McGahey RM. Crime Justice 1986; 8: 231-270.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1986, University of Chicago Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Analyses of neighborhoods and their role in urban decline and revival, and mainstream sociological theories of crime, have focused attention on neighborhood crime and crime control patterns. Although much has been learned from such work, the effects of economic change on neighborhood social organization have not been taken into account. For example, poor local economic conditions and inadequate participation in the labor market can both cause and result from social disruption. The Vera Institute of Justice recently conducted a study of the effects of metropolitan labor markets and housing patterns on high-crime neighborhoods. Survey and ethnographic research among three Brooklyn, New York, neighborhoods indicated that persistent unemployment among adult residents limited the development of stable households and youth employment opportunities. The resulting lack of informal social controls contributed to the persistence of crime in some poor urban neighborhoods. Property crime, drug sales, and other illegal activities provided income to youths in neighborhoods where legitimate employment options were scarce or provided low wages and sporadic hours. Public policy on crime control in poor neighborhoods has concentrated on providing delinquents with vocational training. The results have not been encouraging, however. Community action programs, inspired by the Mobilization for Youth program, attempted more profound social reforms and met with varying degrees of success.

Language: en