Ecological Theories Of Crime

Question 1

What is social disorganisation?

Answer 1

Lack of community cohesion and stability

Question 2

What is cultural transmission?

Answer 2

How the distinctive culture and values of those living in zone 2 are passed on to new generations and waves of immigrants moving into the area

Question 3

What does differential association mean?

Answer 3

If people see more favourable definitions of crime than unfavourable definitions of crime then they will commit crime

Question 4

Which zone was believed to have higher crime rates than any other?

Answer 4

Zone 2 - the inner city zone

Question 5

What does ecological theory believe?

Answer 5

• the causes of urban crime relate to where people live and socially interact
• certain geographical areas within cities create the conditions for criminal behaviour

Question 6

What did Baldwin and Bottoms (1976) find?

Answer 6

Compared 2 council estates separated by a dual carriageway. One estate had 35% higher levels of crime than the other. This was due to a process known as tipping