Neighborhood Effects, Theory of

The theory of neighborhood effects focuses on the impact of neighborhood factors on individual offending. This perspective places people within the context of their community to explain antisocial behavior. Neighborhoods have the ability to impact individual behavior through opportunities to commit crime, child development, and the acquisition of values that may direct behavior. This entry begins with a discussion of the perspective’s evolution and some of the pathways through which communities are believed to influence individual offending. It also discusses the impact of neighborhoods on the motivation to offend as well as protective community factors and interactions between neighborhood and individual characteristics.

Development of the Perspective

This area of study has grown substantially since the 1990s, largely due to advances in statistical techniques and an increase in ...

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