Final answer:
Differences in delinquency rates between ethnic groups are hypothesized to arise from socioeconomic factors and neighborhood environment, indicating the importance of cultural ecology over ethnicity itself.
Step-by-step explanation:
Two possible explanations for differences in delinquency rates between European Americans and African Americans, as suggested by the differential offending hypothesis, are the influence of socioeconomic factors and neighborhood environment. The research of Shaw and McKay indicated that when families of any ethnicity moved from poorer to more affluent neighborhoods, the rates of juvenile delinquency decreased, suggesting that the social environment, rather than ethnicity alone, is a significant factor. Moreover, neighborhood factors such as poverty, ethnic heterogeneity, and residential mobility, which hinder the establishment of effective social controls, are proposed to predict elevated crime rates. Therefore, the differences in delinquency rates might not necessarily reflect inherent tendencies but rather the variance in experiences and environments encountered by different ethnic groups.