Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay were some of the major researchers in the Chicago school of criminology. Their theory of social disorganization gives an explanation of the increase of crime rate and juvenile delinquency. They explained that social deterioration and physical destruction of downtown areas causes disintegration of the society and its ability to govern itself. According to the two …show more content…
The theory explains that criminal behavior is learned through interaction with those in the community. The theory further explains that learning of delinquent behavior occurs within familiar personal clusters. Criminal behavior is motivated by the definition of the favorability of legal codes. The more favorable the legal system definition is to a person the more likely they are to engage in crime. Differential association varies in duration, frequency, intensity, and priority, and the pace is reliant on the group. Therefore, the increase in juvenile delinquency and crime rate in Chicago and its environments are a result of the learning from close