Correlates of informal social control in Guangzhou, China neighborhoods

Informal social control is a central part of contemporary social disorganization theory. While there are a few studies examining how community factors affect informal social control, they are limited to Western societies, particularly the United States. This study examined whether correlates of informal social control found in the West are applicable to China, where there is a long history of informal social control. Using data from 1,196 respondents from Guangzhou, China, this study found that residential stability increased informal social control at the neighborhood level, with residents who lived in a more stable neighborhood being more willing to take action to prevent deviant behavior. Furthermore, satisfaction with police was found to be related to informal social control at the neighborhood level.