Social Disorganization and Neighborhood Crime in Argentine Shantytowns

Authors

  • Daniel Mí­guez Lanza del Vasto 658, (7000) Tandil, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4409.2014.03.25

Keywords:

Culture, politics, crime, networks, poverty.

Abstract

This study analyzes the effects of conflictive social networks on a particular form of neighborhood crime called ‘street harassment’ in Argentine shantytowns. The data for the study is provided by a victimization survey applied in six Argentine cities, comparing the association between crime and neighborhood cohesion in different social strata. The study is based on social disorganization theory, but it adds two new insights to this perspective by exploring the role of political leadership and culture. Its main conclusion is that while conflictive social networks are strongly associated with neighborhood crime, these are concentrated in small numbers of shantytown dwellers. In addition, results also reveal that ambivalent attitudes towards conventional social principles and lack of trust in local political leadership are associated with neighborhood conflicts and crime.

References

Bellair, Paul. 1997. ‘Social Interaction and Community Crime: Examining the Importance of Neighborhood Networks.’ Criminology. 35 (4): 677-703. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1997.tb01235.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1997.tb01235.x

Bonaldi, Pablo and del Cueto, Carla. 2009. ‘Fragmentación social y violencia en dos barrios de Moreno.’ In: Grimson, Alejandro; Ferraudi Curto, Cecilia; Segura, Ramiro (eds.), La vida política en los barrios de Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires: Prometeo, 154-168.

Bonaldi, Pablo; del Cueto, Carla. 2010. ‘Los límites del barrio. Fragmentación, conflicto y organización en dos barrios del partido de Moreno.’ In: Kessler, Gabriel; Maristella Svampa, and Inés Gonzalez Bombal (eds), Reconfiguraciones del mundo popular. El Conurbano Bonaerense en la post-convertibilidad. Buenos Aires: Prometeo, 56-71.

Browning, Christopher; Dietz, Robert and Feinberg, Seth. 2000. ‘Negative’ Social Capital and Urban Crime: A Negotiated Perspective. Working Paper Urban and Regional Analysis Initiative. Ohio State University (www.urai.ohio-state.edu)

Bursik, Robert. 1988. Social ‘Disorganization and Theories of Crime and Delinquency: Problems and Prospects.’ Criminology 26 (4): 519-551. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1988.tb00854.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1988.tb00854.x

Diez, Patricia. 2009. ‘Mecha en el barrio: situaciones dilemáticas y drama social entre demandas morales.’ In: Grimson, Alejandro; Ferraudi-Curto, Cecilia; Segura, Ramiro. (eds.), La vida política en los barrios populares de Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires: Prometeo, 123-140.

Downes, David and Paul Rock. Understanding Deviance. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Gené, Marcela. 2005. Un mundo feliz. Imágenes de los trabajadores en el primer peronismo 1946-1955. Buenos Aires: Siglo XXI.

Kasarda, John, and Janowitz Morris. 1974. ‘Community Attatchment in Mass Society.’ American Sociological Review. 39 (3): 328-339. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2094293 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/2094293

Kessler, Gabriel. 2002. ‘Entre fronteras desvanecidas: Lógicas de articulación de actividades legales e ilegales en los jóvenes.’ In: Gayol, Sandra; Kessler, Gabriel (eds.), Violencias, delitos y justicias en la Argentina. Buenos Aires: Manantial, 253–275.

Kessler, Gabriel. 2004. Sociología del delito amateur. Buenos Aires: Paidos.

Kornhauser, Ruth. 1978. Social Sources of Delinquency. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Kubrin, Charis; Ronald Weitzer. 2003. ‘New Directions in Social Disorganization Theory.’ Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency. 40 (4): 374-402. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0022427803256238 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0022427803256238

Malinowski, Bronislaw. 1926. Crime and Custom in Savage Society. London: Kegan Paul, Trench Turner & Co., Ltd.

Patterson, Britt. 1991. ‘Poverty, Income Inequality, and Community Crime Rates.’ Criminology. 29: 755-776. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1991.tb01087.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1991.tb01087.x

Puex, Nathalie. 2003. ‘Las formas de la violencia en tiempos de crisis: una villa miseria del conurbano bonaerense.’ In: Isla, Alejandro; Míguez, Daniel (eds.), Heridas urbanas: Violencia delictiva y transformaciones sociales en los noventa. Buenos Aires: Editorial de Las Ciencias, 25-61.

Roberts, Brian. 1995. The Making of Citizens. Cities of Peasants Revisited. London: Arnold.

Rojas, Patricia. 2000. Los pibes del fondo. Delincuencia urbana. Diez historias. Buenos Aires: Norma.

Sampson, Robert, and Groves, Byron. 1989. ‘Community structure and crime: testing social-disorganization theory.’ American Journal of Sociology. 94 (4), 774-802. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/229068 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1086/229068

Scazarella, Eugenia. 1998. ‘El ocio peronista: vacaciones y “turismo popular” en Argentina (1943-1955).’ Entrepasados 14: 65-84.

Shaw, Clifford, and Mackay, Henry. 1942. Juvenile Delinquency and Urban Areas. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Shaw, Clifford, and Mackay, Henry. 1969. Juvenile Delinquency and Urban Areas. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Shaw, Clifford; Zorbaugh, Frederick; McKay, Henry and Leonard Cottrel. 1929. Delinquency Areas. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Smicha-Fagan, Ora, and Schwartz, Joseph. 1986. Neighborhood and Delinquency: An Assessment of Contextual Effects. Criminology. 24 (4): 667-703. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1986.tb01507.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1986.tb01507.x

Smith, Douglas, and Jarjoura, Roger. 1988. Social Structure and Criminal Victimization. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency. 25: 27-52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0022427888025001003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0022427888025001003

Sun, Ivan; Triplett, Ruth and Gainey, Randy. 2004. Neighborhood Characteristics and Crime: A Test of Sampson and Groves’ Model of Social Disorganization. Western Criminology Review. 5 (1): 1-16.

Suttles, Gerald. 1968. The Social Order of the Slum. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Torre, Juan Carlos and Pastoriza, Elisa. ‘La Democratización del Bienestar.’, In: Torre, Juan Carlos (ed). Nueva Historia Argentina. Los Años Peronistas (1943-1955). Buenos Aires: Sudamericana, 2002, 257- 279.

Villareal, Andres and Silva, Braulio. 2006. ‘Social Cohesion, Criminal Victimization, and Perceived Risk of Crime in Brazilian Neighborhoods.’ Social Forces. 34 (3): 1720-1732. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/sof.2006.0073

Whyte, William Foote. [1942] 1965. Street Corner Society: The Social Structure of an Italian Slum. Chicago: Chicago University Press.

Wirth, Louis. 1964. ‘Culture Conflict and Misconduct.’ In: On Cities and Social Life. Chicago: Chicago University Press.

Downloads

Published

2014-09-23

How to Cite

Mí­guez, D. (2014). Social Disorganization and Neighborhood Crime in Argentine Shantytowns . International Journal of Criminology and Sociology, 3, 300–308. https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4409.2014.03.25

Issue

Section

Articles