Neighborhood inequality, collective efficacy, and the spatial dynamics of urban violence

Highlighting resource inequality, social processes, and spatial interdepend ence, this study combines structural characteristics from the 1990 census w ith a survey of 8,872 Chicago residents in 1995 to predict homicide variati ons in 1996-1998 across 343 neighborhoods. Spatial proximity to homicide is strongly related to increased homicide rates, adjusting for internal neigh borhood characteristics and prior homicide. Concentrated disadvantage and l ow collective efficacy-defined as the linkage of social control and cohesio n-also independently predict increased homicide. Local organizations, volun tary associations, and friend/kinship networks appear to be important only insofar as they promote the collective efficacy of residents in achieving s ocial control and cohesion. Spatial dynamics coupled with neighborhood ineq ualities in social and economic capacity are therefore consequential for ex plaining urban violence.