Broken Windows

Broken Windows

Broken Windows Theory

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Broken Windows

Kelling and Wilson (1982) proposed that crime is the result of neglect or “broken windows” in a neighborhood. When there are broken windows or other signs of disrepair it sends a message to the criminal that people in the community as well as the police do not care about this community. While walking the beat with a foot patrol officers, Kelling was able to get firsthand knowledge as to why foot patrols decrease the fear of community members even if it does not reduce crime. Kelling and Wilson theorized foot patrols help to keep the streets orderly and foot patrol officers become a part of the community and reducing the community member’s fear.

Part of keeping order in a community is to repair any damage or broken windows, if these broken windows are not repaired more windows will be broken and the area will fall to ruin. In order for crime to be deterred the area must be cared for by members of the community. This includes putting into place the necessary security measures to ensure crime is deterred and fixing the disrepair. If property appears to be abandoned or neglected it will become a target for vandals, delinquents, or criminals. If the abandoned property is not in disrepair and properly secured it will show while empty it is cared for.

The Broken Windows Theory finds vandalism or other disorderly crimes can occur in any community where there is neglect. If a property is neglected or abandoned it sends a signal that it is fair game because no one cares (Menna, 2009). If a broken window is immediately repaired it will deter vandalism and other deviant behavior along with the presence of a deterrent, such as a foot patrol or the obvious presence of the police. When a window is left broken or a properly is left in disrepair a once good community can quickly become a high crime area.

Instead of staying to fight for the community when it falls into disrepair other members will leave or turn their back on the community. Those community members that stay will lose trust in the police and their ability to maintain law and order. As a result community members will no longer trust the police to protect them against the criminal element and fail to cooperate when crime situations arise. A failure by police to maintain law and order also leads to fear in the community. This fear can lead to a skewed perception of the level of crime in the community. Kelling (1982) found foot patrols reduced this fear resulting in more cooperation by community members in repairing the neglect and taking steps to deter crime.

The research conducted by Kelling and Wilson showed that once a property falls into disrepair the unintended consequence is the neighborhood falls into ruins. Good, solid families move out of the community and in its place single, lower income or broken families move in. people begin to loiter in front of once legitimate businesses that now cater to a more rowdy clientele. While this milling around may not consist of criminal actions it will create fear from members of the community. When police are present people are not allowed to loiter it reduces fear of crime.

When an area has fallen into disarray it creates a domino effect if the disrepair is not fixed. In addition if members of the community find police are ineffective they will stop calling police to respond to crimes in the community. In order for police to be effective they need the support of community members. In an area with a lot of disrepair and weak, ineffective controls community members will be more concerned with their safety over assisting police in solving crime. When police departments are focused on order-maintenance and crime-prevention the community members will be far more likely to cooperate when crimes occur (Kelling & Wilson, 1982). This cooperation assists police in being more effective in ridding a community of crime.

Since the 1970’s the way police approach crime and reduce fear in the community has changed. In part due to the research conducted by Kelling and Wilson. Now a majority of police departments across the country employ crime prevention measures which include cleaning up the community and order maintenance approach which includes working with community members to develop solutions to crime problems. This approach is known as the community oriented policing approach. Through this approach police work with community members, police provide a strong presence in the community, police assist community members in fixing disrepair, and lastly police assist in reducing fear in the community.

The broken window theory alerted police departments and the state to the need to repair communities to assist in reducing crime and community members fear. Since the research conducted by Kelling and Wilson many police departments have taken a different approach to addressing crime and ensuring the cooperation of community members. When police display a strong presence they deter disorderly conduct which leads to ear of crime in the community where this crime is a reality or not.

References

Kelling, G, & Wilson, J. (1982). Broken Windows: Police and Neighborhood Safety. Retrieved

March 11, 2014 from http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1982/03/broken-window

Menna, W. (2009). Evaluating Broken Windows Theory of Crime. Retrieved March 11, 2014

from http://www.sciences360.com/index.php/evaluating-broken-windows-theory-of-crime