Protection and Gangs

• Gangs remain a major structural factor in social disorganization. In particularly dangerous neighborhoods, gangs offer protection from other predators. As a lone person there is no one looking out for you and you may fall victim to any of the surrounding bullies. In the absence of true authority, gang authority rules, luring new generations into the "safety in numbers" theory of protection. As safe as that might make a person, it also endangers them by creating instant enemies of rival gang members.
  
  

Failure of Schools

• Schools fail on different levels for different students. If a child does not see the value of an education, the organization is at a loss to teach the child about changing the core belief system. Schools, rather than being learning institutions, breed the culture of violence and acceptance necessary to keep crime moving forward. The mentality of the students is furthered by the other students who feel each student must take what he wants, leading to a life of crime and violence. In order to overcome this structural defect, the institution must participate in reorganizing and possibly eliminating problem students from the environment. Moreover, parents need to be involved in the child's education process.
  
  

Failure of Homes

• Homes fail for many reasons. One failure is the lack of aspiration by parents; a belief there is no way out of the current situation. This teaches a sense of stagnation to children, limiting their growth potential. Another failure is that of absence. The needs of the home often require parents to work, so no one is home to parent the children. This does not give kids a clear sense of discipline or behavior from which to model individual behavior. This leaves children learning from other children who might not have developed a true moral code or sense of social order.
  
  

Failure of Law Enforcement

• A significant structural failures lies with law enforcement. This exists due to a lack of manpower, funding and ability to control the environment. As proven with many neighborhoods, an increased law enforcement presence can clean up an undesirable area, but this often leaves other areas unmanned. The wealthy areas tend to have a higher patrol rates, leaving the crime rate low while lower socioeconomic areas feature high crime rates and minimal police presence. This perpetuates the problem, as the social order becomes disorganized as crime is the status quo and punishment is not consistent.