17390. SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION THEORY OF CRIME AND DELINQUENCY. ThIs paper describes and analyzes the social disorganization theory of criminology as developed from theorists in the Chicago School. Considers how the more recent work of Robert Sampson and William Julius Wilson has extended and refined Shaw & McKay’s work to have application in the contemporary era, particularly with regard to urban crime and racial differences in crime. Finally, the analysis looks at Sampson, et al’s construct of collective efficacy as an explanatory variable in why people in socially disorganized communities commit crime. KEYWORDS: chicago school criminology crime theory social disorganization theory. Written 2003. APA Style. 9 pages, 25 footnotes, 5 bibliographic sources. 2,273 words.