Ecological Theory

• Key Idea


  Crimes that occur can mostly be explained sociologically, but not all. Certain crimes happen everywhere and some happen in certain areas
• Park and Burgess


  Five concentric circles:

  1. Central business district
  2. Factory zone
  3. Zone of transition
  4. Residential zone
  5. Commuter zone

  Devised through mapping, with each square mile labelled according to income, race etc. Accounted for crime rates and victimhood rates predicting poor people more likely to be victims.
• Social Disorganisation Theory


  Argues that crime stems from the urban environment, with the zone of transition lacking social organisation. Because the community changes so often, people don't feel a part of it and don't work towards it.
• Sutherland


  Where social bonds are weaker, crime is more common
• Key Evaluations


  Baldwin and Bottoms - studied crime in Sheffield and found crime was highest in council houses, but not because of weak social bonds, because of poverty.

  US centric - many other cities in other countries have developed naturally with no clear zones, and so disorganisation isn't situated in one area