Question

Define the "broken windows theory," Is it good crime control policy? Does it work?

Answer 1

Broken window theory was first established by two social scientists, James Q. Wilson, and George L. Kelling. The theory explains the crimes directly related to the situation. They explained that if windows of some building are not repaired in time it will give an opportunity to antisocial elements to use it for their benefits and it will lead to more windows breaking that will ultimately give rise to disorder within the neighborhood.

The police commissioner Mr. William Bratton had successfully implemented this theory in the New York City, and it was very effective. During his tenure, he had plainclothes officers assigned to catch anti-social elements, with this steps there was a drastic reduction in the crime rate, like subway crimes and pickpocketing. By the time in the year 1996, he resigned there was a 40 percent decrease in the crime rate.

Before the implementation of Broken Window theory, the police department was in favor of curbing the serious crime like murder, rape, and robbery. They were of the opinion that these crimes are the result of the lengthier chain of events. The fear of the area being unsafe makes a person to shift to the safer areas, leaving behind the poor who cannot afford to shift to the safer place, resulting in more social disorder.

The application of Window theory is less expensive and more effective it requires only the change in police crime control strategy, in a society, the presence of disorder bring fear that gives rise to break down in social control. With social disorder, there are chances of crime increasing. Under Broken Window theory the crime is caught at the beginning itself thus reducing social disorders.

Every theory has its positive and negative points, As far as possible the result shown by Mr. Bratton favors the theory that had shown a reduction in crime rate. It is human nature to avoid punishment, and if it is in the mind of a person that for a small crime if he is caught, he will be punished, the fear itself brings a positive result.