Megacities, such as Shanghai, New York, Mumbai and others, become centers where the most important functions of global economy are concentrated – they attract people from all over the world by employment opportunities. Global forces are pushing people out of countryside. For instance, land reform and deregulation of food imports leaves rural population with few prospects, forcing them to seek employment in the city. Massive industrialization of the developing world, particularly in Asia, also draws large masses of impoverished migrant and peasant population, who have no prospects outside the cities.
2. How has migration to cities across the world affected crime?
Numerous social …show more content…
Not being able to obtain desirable goods in legal ways causes frustration among urban residents and forces them to turn to illicit activity, such as drug trafficking.
3. In cities, what types of areas and citizens are affected the most by crime? Why?
“Zones of transition” as defined by Chicago School of sociology, slums, also known as favelas, banlieues, ghettos, spaces of urban marginality full of social problems are mostly affected by crime. Their residents are often poor, unemployed and are ethnic or racial minorities or disadvantaged migrants.
There are numerous reasons for high level of criminality in such areas, including poverty, lack of future prospects, insufficient of public services and infrastructure (schools, hospitals, etc.), social exclusion of ethnic & racial minorities, real or perceived police injustice.
Unable to find their place in post-Fordist economy those people feel frustration, resistance, powerlessness and seek alternative lifestyle turning to profitable illicit activity. Local governments often lose control over growing slums, potentially risky populations are immobilized in those areas and create delinquent social order. Crime and social disorder flourish in such areas where extensive drug economy is the main …show more content…
Cities in the developing world have scarce resources to improve the living conditions of the residents and fight crime - this makes it harder for them to address the problem. Illicit activity, gangs and youth violence become a part of lifestyle in impoverished communities and lead to community ruin. Criminal economy provides the residents with the opportunities unavailable for them otherwise. It undermines the overall governance of the area and traps the poorest population in a dangerous cycle of poverty and