Social Structure and Informal Social Control in Rural Communities

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between social structure and crime in rural counties of the United States. Social structures are assumed to be associated with informal control of crime, and as well, it is assumed that structural changes in rural communities influence changes in the level of informal social control of crime, hence, crime itself. Social disorganization theory provides a useful macro-level study frame for this study. The county is the study unit. Data from 2,050 non-metropolitian counties were collected, using three different sources: the census, the FBI Uniform Crime Report , and the USDA Economic Research Service. US Counties data files of the US Bureau of Census provide the demographic and social economic variables for 1990 and 2000.The results show that social structural change in rural communities reduces social control in rural communities to some extent. The applications of findings are discussed in terms of future research on crime in rural communities.