Which concept is associated with the macro-level condition of neighborhoods influencing crime?

• A. Neighborhood-level explanation for immigration and crime
• B. Acculturation effect
• C. Social disorganization theory
• D. Revitalization hypothesis

Answer: (C)

Social disorganization theory explains crime as a product of neighborhood structure and social organization. When a neighborhood faces economic deprivation, high residential mobility, density, and a mix of residents with different backgrounds, the informal social controls that keep behavior in check weaken. Neighbors may know each other less, trust declines, and there’s less willingness to intervene or monitor youth and delinquent activity. That breakdown in collective efficacy makes crime more likely and more persistent in that area, even when individual factors vary. This macro-level focus on how neighborhood conditions shape crime is what sets this idea apart. The other options don’t describe this neighborhood-based mechanism: they address acculturation, urban renewal, or immigration-related factors rather than the ecological processes that influence crime across a community.