Final answer:
The question about homicide rates attributable to street gangs in cities like Chicago and LA cannot be accurately answered without updated statistics. Social disorganization and economic factors play roles in gang activity, which significantly impacts crime rates in these areas over time. option c.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking about the percentage of homicides in major cities like Chicago and Los Angeles that can be attributed to street gangs, which are composed largely of teenagers and young adults. Unfortunately, without the current statistical data provided, it is not possible to give a definite answer to this question of whether that figure is 20%, 40%, 60%, or 80%. Street gangs, tied to the illegal drug trade and economic challenges, certainly play a significant role in these metropolitan areas' crime rates. These gangs, which can reflect aspects of social disorganization within a community, have historically contributed to the local crime statistics, such as in the time of gangster Al Capone, who established a lucrative bootlegging empire in Chicago.
It is crucial to note that these figures can fluctuate over time, affected by law enforcement efforts, community programs, economic conditions, and other sociocultural factors. In relation to social disorganization theory, this suggests that crime would most likely occur in communities where neighbors do not know each other well, which could be grounds where street gangs flourish. To understand the exact impact of street gangs on homicide rates in these cities, one would need to refer to the latest law enforcement reports, crime statistics, and academic research that are current as of the time of this question's asking.