Concentric Zone Theory was developed by which pair of scholars?

Concentric Zone Theory was developed by which pair of scholars?

• A. Clifford Shaw & Henry McKay
• B. William Sheldon & Edwin Sutherland
• C. Gabriel Tarde & Travis Hirschi
• D. Robert Merton & Edwin Lemert

Answer: (A)

Concentric Zone Theory examines how where people live within a city affects crime, focusing on the neighborhood ecology rather than individual traits. The idea came from Chicago School research that mapped delinquency across a city’s rings—from the central area outward to more stable residential zones—and observed the highest crime rates in the transitional zone, where rapid turnover, poverty, and weakened social institutions produce social disorganization. This work was developed by Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay, making them the best fit for who created the theory. The other pairs are known for different criminological ideas—differential association or social learning with Sutherland (and others), theories about self-control or general social bonds, or strain and labeling theories—so they don’t describe the concentric-zone approach.

Concentric Zone Theory examines how where people live within a city affects crime, focusing on the neighborhood ecology rather than individual traits. The idea came from Chicago School research that mapped delinquency across a city’s rings—from the central area outward to more stable residential zones—and observed the highest crime rates in the transitional zone, where rapid turnover, poverty, and weakened social institutions produce social disorganization. This work was developed by Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay, making them the best fit for who created the theory. The other pairs are known for different criminological ideas—differential association or social learning with Sutherland (and others), theories about self-control or general social bonds, or strain and labeling theories—so they don’t describe the concentric-zone approach.