The women in Set It Off exist in a system that provides small prospects for better opportunities.  The Social Disorganization Theory which belongs to social structure theories explains how their environment pushed them into criminal behavior.  The theory states that neighborhoods  that don’t have good schools and stable jobs and trustworthy institutions will produce more  criminal activity because residents feel they don’t have another choose.

All 4 women in the movie experience life in  their neighborhood characterized by poverty and criminal activity and racial discrimination. Frankie got fired at her workplace because she lived in a bad area and that she could’ve known the person that robbed her workplace, T.T. experienced the  loss of her child after an accident at work while she struggled to care for her child alone. The system  demonstrated its failure through these specific examples. The authorities provided them with punishment instead of assistance.

The Social  Disorganization Theory holds individuals blameless because it examines how environmental conditions sets them up for failure. The women  never intended to become criminals. They experienced continuous rejection along with loss and unfair treatment throughout their  lives. So crime became the solution when laws failed to protect them and essential resources remained absent.