Social area analysis and studies of delinquency

The method of delineating urban social areas devised by Shevky and Bell-that of social area analysis-has been seen by several writers as offering a promising framework for the areal analysis of delinquency rates and in consequence it has been adopted in many recent empirical studies. It is contended here that several fundamental conceptual and procedural problems are involved in using the Shevky and Bell framework and these remain as yet unresolved; that those researchers who have used the method have tended to do so uncritically; and finally that very often this approach has served to confuse rather than increase our understanding of the social patterning of delinquency.