Robert Peel Broken Window Theory

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Sir Robert Peel was known as one of the most influential men in modern law enforcement. He became a father figure in the history law enforcement from establishing the London Metropolitan Police Force in 1826. His constables, known as, Bobbies became considerable effective in crime prevention with The Nine Principles of Sir Robert Peel also, known as The Peelian Principles. Sir Robert Peel principles are some of the fundamental basis of modern law enforcement today. The basis of the Peel’s principles can be seen in today’s era of the broken windows theory.

Where did the broken window theory come from? Broken windows theory was derived out of the political uproar with the civil rights movement in the 1960s (Lombardo, 2007). The people were …show more content…

Look back to the 1800s, Sir Robert Peel had his nine policing Principles. There are many similar aspects of broken windows derived out of community policing that can be applied to the philosophy of the Peels Principles. The first principle was to prevent crime and disorder. “1. To prevent crime and disorder, as an alternative to their repression by military force and severity of legal punishment.” In the broken windows theory disorder or maintaining order was a key factor “(Champion, 2001). Although, foot patrol, in one of the experiments in the broken windows theory, had not direct effect on crime, it reduced citizen’s fear of crime. Thus, portraying a sense of safety. When residents feel safe they go out on into the street presenting the idea that people …show more content…

The police should use physical force to the extent necessary to secure observance of the law or to restore order only when the exercise of persuasion, advice and warning is found to be insufficient to achieve police objectives; and police should use only the minimum degree of physical force which is necessary on any particular occasion for achieving a police objective” (Champion, 2001). Contradictory to Peel’s sixth principle, broken windows theory was thought to be zero tolerance due to the harshness of the idea that out of control teens and anyone who disrupted societal life would be punished, aka lots misdemeanors. “Patrol officers might be encouraged to go to and from duty stations on public transportation and, while on the bus or subway car, enforce rules about smoking, drinking disorderly conduct, and the like. The enforcement need involve nothing more than ejecting the offender” (Kelling, 1997). However, in Fixing Broken Windows by Kellin and Cole they explained that it was up to the discretion of the police officer to resolve the problem (Kelling, 1997). That was why foot patrol was such an important aspect of the broken windows

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