For years, I have wondered why my neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York known as Brownsville is so dysfunctional as compared to my past neighborhoods. After doing my research, I think I found an answer that can be supported through the lens of Shaw and McKay's Social Disorganization Theory. Developed by the Chicago school, the theory links crime rates within a neighborhood environmental characteristics. "Social disorganization is the consequence of a community's inability to realize common values and to solve the problems of its residents, resulting in the breakdown of effective social control within that community." The theory points out that delinquency isn't the result of an individual action, but it doe explains that delinquency is caused
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According to Sun (2012) "Brownsville is one square mile of public housing, basically." Brownsville has the highest concentration of public housing within the whole entire nation. With a distance of only one square mile, the community is comprised of more than 873 floors stories and made up of over a 100 public buildings. Brownsville also has a structural makeup where three-quarters of the area is populated with shelters. Brownsville otherwise known as the "ville" is made of only three schools who are struggling to remind open and provide education for the youths. Not only are these schools unable to provide funding, they are also unable to produce cultural and recreational programs; Therefore, the youths of the community have to turn to another social aspect to express their talents, violence. According to the Secret (2014), "A steady barrage of violence punctuates their idle hours. There were 72 shootings last year and 15 murders — in an area spanning about two square miles" With no job availabilities or extracurricular activities provided by the school systems, the young African American youths are subjected to violence as an outlet to gaining what they need. Violence is typically associated with the concept of relative deprivation. Living in a neighborhood such as Brownsville most youths usually feel relatively deprived. They believe that they are entitled to a better life and if it is not giving to them then they will take it. According to Kawachi (1999), "Violent crimes (homicide, assault, robbery) were consistently associated with relative deprivation (income inequality) and indicators of low social capital". Therefore, the youths may partake in robberies because of the frustration behind their living
According to Sun (2012) "Brownsville is one square mile of public housing, basically." Brownsville has the highest concentration of public housing within the whole entire nation. With a distance of only one square mile, the community is comprised of more than 873 floors stories and made up of over a 100 public buildings. Brownsville also has a structural makeup where three-quarters of the area is populated with shelters. Brownsville otherwise known as the "ville" is made of only three schools who are struggling to remind open and provide education for the youths. Not only are these schools unable to provide funding, they are also unable to produce cultural and recreational programs; Therefore, the youths of the community have to turn to another social aspect to express their talents, violence. According to the Secret (2014), "A steady barrage of violence punctuates their idle hours. There were 72 shootings last year and 15 murders — in an area spanning about two square miles" With no job availabilities or extracurricular activities provided by the school systems, the young African American youths are subjected to violence as an outlet to gaining what they need. Violence is typically associated with the concept of relative deprivation. Living in a neighborhood such as Brownsville most youths usually feel relatively deprived. They believe that they are entitled to a better life and if it is not giving to them then they will take it. According to Kawachi (1999), "Violent crimes (homicide, assault, robbery) were consistently associated with relative deprivation (income inequality) and indicators of low social capital". Therefore, the youths may partake in robberies because of the frustration behind their living