Broken Window Theory Case Study

2084 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Broken windows theory kelling and wilson

Question # 1 In 1982 James Q. Wilson and George Kelling developed a theory call “The Broken Window Theory.” The theory is based on the aesthetics of urban decay in neighborhoods, which perpetuates and fosters a canvas for the causation of serious criminal activity and social disorder to flourish. Today, the theory is much more than a “broken window.” The principles include social disorganization, lack of social capital, neglected properties, and economically distressed communities on government assistance due to the lack of economic opportunities. In addition, media and social media outlets have created and sustained a false narrative vilifying law enforcement causing civil unrest in urban areas. The malign actions of a few officers have created an anti-law enforcement sentiment creating …show more content…

Areas such as Chicago’s eastside plagued by crime, social disorder and blight need a joint effort by community leaders and police to develop intelligent prudent solutions to solve the violent criminal epidemic. Therefore, if criminal opportunities are removed, then the path toward the commission of a crime is much more difficult to achieve. However, it is important to note, a zero tolerance policy is a mirage and doesn’t exist in modern society – people make mistakes intentionally and unintentionally.
Aiyer, S. M., Zimmerman, M. A., Morrel-Samuels, S., & Reischl, T. M. (2015). From Broken Windows to Busy Streets: A Community Empowerment Perspective. Health Education & Behavior, 42(2), 137-147.
Welsh, B. C., Braga, A. A., & Bruinsma, G. N. (2015). Reimagining Broken Windows: From Theory to Policy. Journal Of Research In Crime & Delinquency, 52(4), 447-463. doi:10.1177/0022427815581399
Question #

Show More
Related

  • Bill De Blasio's Crime: The Rise Of Crime In New York City

    724 Words  | 2 Pages

    When New York City had a new leftist mayor, many foreshadowed there would be a significant rise in crime spanning over a few years. The new mayor, Bill de Blasio, was to blame. De Blasio wanted to reform city measure, but he went about it in a different way. De Blasio talked and listen more to ex-cons on this matter, putting their options and advice to the forefront of his mind. Many of them rallied for reducing police stratagems to reduce New York City’s crime rates. It was believed that de Blasio agreed with this idea because of his thoughts on some of the tactics New York City’s police officers used. De Blasio fought against “Stop and Frisk”, because of how they unjustly discriminated against young, African American males and put their safety at risk.

    Read More

  • The Broken Windows Theory Set The Standards of Law Enforcement

    1149 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the seventies in New Jersey created a program that could change life in society. This program occurred only in twenty-eight cities. Government and public officials were excited about this concept. Police officials were not so much. Foot patrol made officers walk in sleet and snow. Assigned foot patrol was a way of punishment for officers. State funding of foot patrol shut the mouths of some people. Silence stopped after the “Police Foundation”(Kelling) put foot patrol to the actual test. To contrary belief this rattled some arguments in the community an...

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Rich Get Richer And The Poor Get Prison

    1347 Words  | 3 Pages

    Through the first chapter of this book the focus was primarily on the notion of controlling crime. The best way to describe crime policy used in this chapter is comparing it to a game of ‘heads I win, tails you lose’. This chapter also addresses the causes for decline in America’s

    Read More

  • Comparing the Due Process and Crime Control Model

    859 Words  | 2 Pages

    The criminal justice field faces the challenges of getting criminals off the streets, and prosecuting them, while using limited funds and manpower. Citizens expect results, and want to feel safe when they are in their own neighborhood. On the other hand, citizens in our democratic country expect people to be treated fairly, and feel the need to make sure that no innocent people are wrongly sent to jail. It is a balancing act of keeping the community safe on one hand, and on the other, making sure that no one’s rights are violated. It is like being told to do a job, but then having all these rules and obstacles you have to navigate around in order to do your job. The following paper is a study of the differences between due process, and crime control model, as well as assessing which one is more effective with stopping crime in today’s world.

    Read More

  • Two Perspectives Of Right Realism And Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design

    1520 Words  | 4 Pages

    The broken windows theory, was proposed by James Q. Wilson and George Kelling (1982). This used broken windows to describe disorder within neighbourhoods.Their theory links disorder and unsociable behavior within a community leading to serious crime. Prior to theories such as broken windows, law enforcement and police tended to focus on the serious crime. However, Wilson and Kelling took a different view from this. They saw serious crime as the final result of a chain of events, which emerged from disorder. If we eliminated disorder, then serious crimes would not occur as mentioned by Mckee

    Read More

  • Rational Choice Theory: Approach To Situational Crime

    1557 Words  | 4 Pages

    Situational crime prevention is an idea criminologists use in order to reduce the chances of crime initially taking place. This theory does not aim to punish criminals after the crime has taken place like the criminal justice system does, but however the opposite, it aims to reduce the chances of the crime taking place to start with. Ron Clarke (2005) describes this theory as an approach that aims to reduce the opportunities out there for crime, involving rational choice theory. Clark focuses on three methods within this theory, directing at specific crimes, altering the environment we live in and aiming to reduce the benefits of committing crimes.

    Read More

  • Criminology of Place

    838 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...e of the risk for offenders or reducing the attractiveness of potential targets has the great impact on criminal and disorder activities. According to the authors these approaches are part of the interventions of hot spot because they include things like razing abandoned buildings and cleaning up graffiti. However, the increase of misdemeanor arrests of offenders contribute to the crime control in hot spot but not as much situational efforts does (Braga and bond 2008). Authors stated that situational crime prevention strategies are essential for addressing crime in hot spots rather than the aggressive order maintenance of arrests in high disorder places. In other words, if police officers only make arrest in hot spot this will not effectively reduce crime because they need to develop a more complex approach to deal with high crime areas ( Braga & Weisburd , 2010).

    Read More

  • Hot Spot Policing Essay

    1331 Words  | 3 Pages

    Unfocused and indiscriminate enforcement actions will produce poor relationships between the police and community members residing in areas. Law enforcement should adopt alternative approaches to controlling problem areas, tracking hot persons, and preventing crime in problem regions. Arresting criminal offenders is the main police function and one of the most valuable tools in an array of responses to crime plagued areas, however hot spots policing programs infused with community and problem oriented policing procedures hold great promise in improving police and community relations in areas suffering from crime and disorder problems and developing a law enforcement service prepared to protect its nation from an act of

    Read More

  • The Broken Window Theory

    2269 Words  | 5 Pages

    Kelling and Catherine Coles, released the definitive work on the broken windows theory: Fixing Broken Windows - Restoring Order and Reducing Crime in Our Communities. In this work, the authors would go further, and demonstrate the causal relationship between violent crime and the not prosecution to misdemeanors. As the disorder leads to crime, tolerance for petty crimes and misdemeanors, inevitably leads to violent crime. The authors attribute the original “growth of disorder” in the 1960’s due the valorization and combination of decriminalization of public drunkenness and deinstitutionalize the mentally ill. The main window for this backspace in America were vagrancy and loitering laws. These both, opened a gap for the drunks and panhandlers take back the streets second the

    Read More

  • Abortion Did NOT Reduce the Crime Rate

    1952 Words  | 4 Pages

    Travis, J., & Waul, M. (2002). Reflections on the crime decline: Lessons for the future. Proceedings from the Urban Institute Crime Decline Forum (pp. 1-38). Washington, D. C.: Urban Institute Justice Policy Center.

    Read More

  • Juvenile Crime Prevention in America

    1869 Words  | 4 Pages

    Juvenile crime in the United States is ballooning out of control along with adult crimes, and politicians and law enforcement officials don’t seem to be able to do anything about it. Despite tougher sentencing laws, longer probation terms, and all other efforts of lawmakers, the crime and recidivism rates in our country can’t be reduced. The failure of these recent measures along with new research and studies by county juvenile delinquency programs point to the only real cure to the U.S.’s crime problem: prevention programs. The rising crime rates in the United States are of much worry to most of the U.S.’s citizens, and seems to be gaining a sense of urgency. Crime ranks highest in nationwide polls as Americans’ biggest concern (Daltry 22). For good reason- twice as many people have been victims of crimes in the 1990s as in the 1970s (Betts 36). Four times as many people under the age of eighteen were arrested for homicide with a handgun in 1993 than in 1983 (Schiraldi 11A). These problems don’t have a quick fix solution, or even an answer that everyone can agree on. A study by the Campaign for an Effective Crime Policy has found no deterrent effects of the “Three Strikes and You’re Out” law recently put into effect by politicians (Feinsilber 1A). It has been agreed however that there is not much hope of rehabilitating criminals once started on a life of crime. Criminologist David Kuzmeski sums up this feeling by saying, “If society wants to protect itself from violent criminals, the best way it can do it is lock them up until they are over thirty years of age.... I am not aware of any treatment that has been particularly successful.” The problem with his plan is that our country simply doesn’t have the jail space, or money to ...

    Read More

  • The Criminal Justice System

    2810 Words  | 6 Pages

    Everyday, the American prison system becomes more crowded and over-burdened. Prison bed space cannot keep up with the prison population. While presidents and governors call for a “tough stance” on crime, the infrastructure is inadequate to contain all offenders. However, even if there were enough room to fit every individual that commits a criminal act, would this be the best move for the community and the offender? Placing an individual into a prison removes them from the general population, thus making the society they live in safer. But, separating individuals in a community does indirectly injure the community as a whole. These individuals obviously are no longer contributing to the local economy, but on a basic level, their absence places a hole into a community. Offenders have been shaped by the values and pr...

    Read More

  • Six Pillars Of Community Policing

    909 Words  | 2 Pages

    This approach is described as being neighborhoods that are seen as run down, will attract more crime if nothing is done to restore them. The theory started in Newark, New Jersey, where footpatrol was reestablished in effort to reduce crime. As a result of this citizens felt safer and trusted the police more. Even though it was reported that it did not effect the decrease in crime, officers themselves expressed a greater satisfaction with their work. As what was stated before the theory did not affect the rate of crime but made the citizens feel safer because “fear of crime was reduced, that is fear of being bothered by disorderly people: drunks, panhandlers, addicts, prostitutes, gangs, and rowdy teens” (Lombardo, Lough, 2007, p.123) The Broken Window theory was tested by Wesley Skogan who wrote a book on this called Disorder and Decline. According to Skogan he analyzed physical disorder which is described as “the presence of junk and trash in vacant lots, boarded-up buildings, vandalism, graffiti, and stripped and abandoned cars; and social disorder, which includes the presence of gangs, prostitutes, panhandlers, drunks, and open gambling and drug use” (Lombardo, Lough, 2007,

    Read More

  • End of Semester Reflection Assessment: Nursing Student

    1767 Words  | 4 Pages

    Edwards, N. C., Etowa, J., Peterson, W. E., & Kennedy, M. A. (2012). Community health

    Read More

  • Approaches to crime prevention

    1659 Words  | 4 Pages

    Worrall, J. L. (2008). Reducing criminal opportunities through environmental manipulation. In Crime control in America: what works? (2nd ed., pp. 295-296). [Vitalsource for Kaplan University]. Retrieved from http://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781269308267

    Read More

More about Broken Window Theory Case Study

Open Document