Most African American children reside with their families but a large number do not due to placement in child protective services, the juvenile justice system, or in relative care. Social disorganization theory provides that societal change produces social disorganization, which may cause social problems. Some neighborhoods are better able to address problems than are others. In this study, the authors use social disorganization theory to understand the separation of African American children from their families. The U.S. Census Bureau (2000a) defines census tracts as similar to neighborhoods. An evaluation of 263 neighborhoods in Franklin County, Ohio, found moderate support for social disorganization theory in that 11 of 19 demographic variables were significantly correlated with whether African American children lived with their families or elsewhere. A perceptive analysis shows that lower percentages of demographic variables are significantly correlated with children remaining in their homes.
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