Broken Window Theory Essay

Broken Windows Theory

In 1982, authors James Wilson and George Kelling present their seminal article entitled “Broken Windows”. The article posits that there is essentially a chain of events that leads to an increase in the occurrence of serious crimes. Specifically, Wilson and Kelling argue that social disorder (e.g., public drunkenness, prostitution, and aggressive panhandling) and physical disorder (e.g., abandoned buildings, trash and graffiti) lead to a decrease in informal social control, urban decay and ultimately, a rise in serious crimes. In order to combat the rise in serious crimes, Broken Window theory hypothesizes that if police officers engage in order-maintenance policing it will lead to a decrease in serious crimes. Order-maintenance

policing can be described as a policing practice which focuses on reducing instances of minor offenses as well as physical and social disorder.
Serious Crimes
A basic tenet of the broken windows theory is that order-maintenance policing will lead to a reduction in the rate of serious crime. Serious crimes is an umbrella term that encompasses a plethora of offenses ranging from personal crimes such as assault, battery and kidnapping to property crimes such as theft, arson and embezzlement. Minor crimes such as panhandling and disorderly and uncivil behavior are not included in the umbrella term of serious crimes.

Property Crime. Property crime is a subset of serious crimes. This category of crime includes vandalism, arson, larceny, motor vehicle theft, burglary and shoplifting amongst other crimes. Property crime is characterized by no force or threat of force against victims. The most common types of property crimes in the United States in decreasing order include: Larceny/theft, burglary, motor vehicle theft and robbery.
Violent Crime. Violent crime is another subset of serious crimes. Violent crime is characterized by use or threatened use of force upon a victim and includes murder, non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault. Crimes where the threat of violence/force is the objectives (e.g., Murder) or crimes where the threat of violence/force is used as a means to an end are both indicative of violent crime. The most common violent crimes in the United States in decreasing order include: aggravated assault, robbery, rape and murder.

Support for Broken Windows Theory
Although there is a wealth of literature addressing the broken windows theory, it seems as though researchers have yet to come to a consensus about the usefulness and effectiveness of the application of the broken windows theory to policing activities. Messenger et al.(2007) analyzed pooled, cross-sectional time-series data for 74 New York City precincts for years 1990 – 1999. The authors look at whether the role of policing and drugs was associated with the drastic decline in New York City’s’ homicide rate in the 1990’s. Results of the study concluded that misdemeanor arrests were significantly associated with the decline in New York City’s homicide rate for that time period. Similarly, Braga et al.(1990) released a study conducted in Jersey city, NJ. The study focused on the effectiveness of aggressive order-maintenance policing on reducing violent crime in designated hot spots of criminal activity. Results indicated that there were significant reductions in robbery, property crime, narcotics crime and street fights. Correspondingly, Wesley Skogan published Disorder and Decline: Crime and the spiral of Decay in American Neighborhoods(1999). Skogan looked at the relationship between disorder and serious crime in six urban cities in the United States and how aggressive application of order-maintenance policing could reduce the prevalence of serious crimes in these cities. Results indicate that aggressive application of order-maintenance policing was significantly associated with a reduction in the rate of serious crimes.
Opposition to Broken Windows Theory
With such astounding reports of success with the application of broken windows theory one may be perplexed as to why scholars are unable to come to a consensus about the veracity of the broken windows theory. Notwithstanding the previous reports of success, there came of myriad of research which concluded that the broken windows theory wasn’t the astounding solution to reduction of serious crime. Effects of Aggressive Policing of Disorder on Serious Crime(1999) written by authors Kenneth Novak, Jennifer Hartman, Alexander Holsinger and Michael Turner explored the relationship between the application of aggressive order-maintenance policing on serious crime specifically focusing aggravated burglary and robbery in a major Midwestern industrial city over a four week period. Results indicate that there wasn’t a significant relationship between aggressive order-maintenance policing and a reduction in aggravated burglary or robbery rates. In 2007, Amanda Geller penned Neighborhood disorder and crime: An analysis of “Broken Windows” in New York City. Using data from the New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey, and the New York Police Department Geller assessed the relationship between physical disorder and violent crime in New York City during the 1990’s. Results indicated after controlling for neighborhoods’ time invariant properties there was no relationship between physical disorder and violent crime. Additionally, the data indicated that disorder and crime may be reciprocally linked. Finally, in a lambasting blow to Skogan(1999) sensational article, Harcourt(2001) re-analyzed Skogans data and concluded that there was no significant relationship between disorder and serious crime and attributed Skogan’s results to a phenomenon statisticians refer to as mean reversion.
Many scholars note the striking contradiction of information on the utility of applying a broken windows approach to reducing serious crime (Weisburd & Eck, 2004). As such, many researchers theorize that this conflicting evidence may indicate that order-maintenance policing is not a uniform solution to crime reduction but may be more effective for certain crimes and environments more than others (Sherman, 1986).
Broken Window Theory and Effective Application
There is a wealth of research that supports the idea of tailoring the use of order-maintenance policing to specific types of crime and in communities with certain characteristics.
Appropriate Crimes and Characteristics
Aggressive order-maintenance policing has been associated with a moderate reduction in minor crimes and disorderly behavior (NEED AN ARTICLE).

Research also supports use of order-maintenance policing in communities were members view their neighborhoods as orderly (Gau & Pratt, 2010). Additionally, informing communities of planned crackdowns (CITATION HERE), tailoring crime reduction efforts to the specific types of crime the police are trying to reduce(NEED CITATION), cultivating a working relationship between the community and police officers (Committee to Review Research on Practice and Policy, 2004) and informing citizens of the reason for increase police activity (NEED CITATION) are effective strategies for the application of aggressive order-maintenance

policing.
Inappropriate Crimes and Characteristics
The literature does not show much support for aggressive order-maintenance policing as an appropriate method of reducing serious crime (Harcourt & Ludwig, 2006MAYBE ADD OTHER ARTICLES) nor focusing aggressive order-maintenance policing on crime hot spots(NEED CITATION) or in disorderly neighborhoods (need previous citation).
Presenting Recommendations
The following will address the publics’ concern about the broken windows approach having a negative impact on the community and their increased fearfulness of crime.

City administrators’ concerns about the citizens’ increase in fearfulness of crime and the application of a broken windows approach not significantly reducing crime will be addressed. Additionally, the police administrators’ idea to apply a broken windows approach to the worst neighborhoods in the community will be addressed and a final recommendation for use of the broken windows approach will be presented.

The Publics’ Concern

In my opinion, the publics’ concern about the negative impact taking a broken windows approach to crime reduction is a quite reasonable. In many communities taking a broken windows approach has been associated with ------------?. It does usallly have a negative impact especially the relations between police and the community---seen as a outside aggressor etc.

City Administrators’ Concerns

It won’t significantly reduce crime in the city because BW theory hasn’t been shown to reduce serious crimes such as the violent and property crimes exhibited in this city. Also, BW theory has a strong and significant association with an increase in fearfulness in

crime.
Police Administrators’ Concerns
Applying a BW approach to the worst neighborhoods has a horrible effect. People feel marginalized, leads to over policing, and all kind of other negative bad shit between citizens and police and bad effects for the citizens.
Conclusion
My recommendation would be to reject the broken windows strategy that police administrators would like to adopt. My primary reason for rejecting the broken windows strategy is because the taking a broken windows approach has not been shown to be effective at reducing property and violent crimes and this is the very type of crime police administrators are aiming to reduce. According to city administrators, fear of crime is increasing in the community. Taking a broken windows approach has been shown to increase fear of crime. Finally, using a hot spot approach has been associated with a plethora of negative results for the citizens of those neighborhoods.