Chicago Area Project

research project by Shaw

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June 24, 2026

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The Chicago Area Project was a significant example of action research in criminology, developed during the 1920s and 1930s by Clifford Shaw. This project applied the ecological theories of sociologists Robert Park and Ernest Burgess from the University of Chicago. The core idea was to motivate local residents to address the social problems within their own neighborhoods, aiming to prevent delinquent behavior through community involvement rather than imposing external solutions. This approach sought practical results by bridging the gap between theoretical concepts and real-world application.12

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criminology
Action research
…successful example was Clifford Shaw’s Chicago Area Project, carried out during the 1920s and ’30s, which applied the ecological theories of University of Chicago sociologists Robert Park and Ernest Burgess in an attempt to motivate local residents to deal with the social problems of their neighbourhoods.
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…successful example was Clifford Shaw’s Chicago Area Project, carried out during the 1920s and ’30s, which applied the ecological theories of University of Chicago sociologists Robert Park and Ernest Burgess in an attempt to motivate local residents to deal with the social problems of their neighbourhoods.
Read More