ABSTRACT
The crucial difference between static and dynamic spatial approaches to delinquency is often ignored and can make comparisons of the ensuing findings very misleading Clifford R. Shaw and Henry D. McKay never claimed that they were the first to investigate the geographical distributions of juvenile delinquency. Generally stated, Shaw and McKay presented evidence that, regardless of changes in the ethnic or racial makeup of a community, the relative distributional pattern of delinquency throughout the city of Chicago remained fairly stable over time. Between 1950 and 1960, community change is associated with over one-third of the total variance in the changes in areal delinquency rates. When the existing community changes almost completely within a very short period of time, the social institutions and social networks may disappear altogether, or existing institutions may persevere in the changed neighborhood but be very resistant to the inclusion of new residents.
