Examination into the Protective Factors for At-Risk Youth in a Socially Disorganized Neighborhood

• In Event: The Complex Role of Collective Efficacy in Crime and Crime Control

Abstract

Nearly 100 current college students and university alumni who grew up in one of America’s “most dangerous cities” were interviewed about the ecological dimensions of their neighborhoods and schools, informal social control factors, and other indicators of social organization in an attempt to better understand their pathways towards high-levels of educational success in a city where crime rates tower over high school graduation rates. The majority of the sample identified as Latino Americans, with lower percentages of Black and White respondents. Preliminary results indicate several mediating influences, such as instances of collective efficacy that served as forms of resilience for these residents. Research and policy implications are discussed.

Authors

• Michelle L. Meloy, Rutgers University, Camden

• Kristin M Curtis, Rutgers University, Camden

• Terence Britt, Rutgers University, Camden

• Irina Bronshteyn, Rutgers University, Camden

• Sharmistha Chowdhury, Rutgers University, Camden

• Brigette Forte, Rutgers University, Camden

• Jessica McConnell, Rutgers University, Camden

• Megan Propati, Rutgers University, Camden

• Shelby Tucker, Rutgers University, Camden