Broken Windows Policing: An Effective Policing Methodology

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Broken Windows Policing: An Effective Policing Methodology

Ariana Lopez

CRJ 305: Policing and Society

Professor Michael R. Bennett

February 17, 2025

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Broken Windows Policing: An Effective Policing Methodology

It is possible to break down the complexities of crime into four dimensions within which a criminal event occurs. The first is the law, since there can be no crime without a law. The second is the criminal offender, because a crime cannot happen without an offender. The third is the victim or target because, without this aspect, no crime exists. The last dimension, the focus of environmental criminology, is the place, as crime, even with the law, the offender, and the victim, needs a place or space to occur (Brantingham et al., 2012). Environmental criminology assumes that people already have a drive to commit a crime and, thus, they start by first analyzing the place where the crime will occur (Brantingham et al., 2012). One of the most well-known crime theories associated with environmental criminology is the broken windows theory.

The broken windows theory asserts that there is a causal link between disorder, both physical and social, and crime. This disorder can lead to crime in direct and indirect ways. Directly, disorder in a community can offer a signal to criminals that the residents of the community are indifferent to crime, which leads to the criminals being emboldened to commit crimes without restrictions. On the other hand, indirectly, a disorder in a community can lead to an increased fear of crime among residents, causing them to avoid certain areas and, essentially, withdraw from the community. Eventually, as disorder and crime increase, some residents with resources may leave the community, thereby destroying the social bonds and controls that may have existed, which can lead to further crime (Lanfear et al., 2020). This theory offers a predictable pattern of the escalation of crime. It argues that when minor offenses that exhibit disorder in society, such as prostitution and the low-level selling of drugs, encounter total disregard, it can lead to residents fleeing and withdrawing from their community. Subsequently, it leads to a breakdown of the social bonds that could have provided social control for crime, thus creating an inviting environment for crime to prosper (Worrall, 2002). A policing methodology based on the broken windows theory can considerably decrease crime. Such policing targets low-level crime to prevent the festering of crime in a community.

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Broken windows policing is effective as it deals with one issue that ultimately leads to residents withdrawing from their community and thus festering more crime, which is fear. When there is targeting of an area by the police, such as foot patrols, it creates a feeling of safety and order (Wilson et al., 2012). Because police presence in an area leads to the creation of such a perception of security, the fear that people may have due to some low-level crime or even disorderly people like addicts and prostitutes tends to reduce (Wilson et al., 2012). Thus, it prevents the social bonds that create social control from breaking down, reducing the likelihood of crime within an area. In essence, police presence in an area, as promoted by broken windows policing, is a means of promoting social controls in a community (Wilson et al., 2012). Accordingly, it goes a long way in ensuring that crime does not thrive within an area.

Broken windows policing is effective since there is evidence that the crackdown on low-level crimes leads to the prevention of high-level or violent crimes. Macro-analysis study of the enforcement of broken windows policing in California revealed that if law enforcement agents vigorously fought low-level crimes, it led to a decrease in the occurrence of future high-level crimes. For instance, the study demonstrated that a high level of arrests for some misdemeanors reduced the occurrence of serious property crimes. On the other hand, there were also indications that when district attorneys helped in broken windows policing, revealing a vigorous prosecution of minor crimes, it led to a reduction in more serious crimes (Worrall, 2002).

Broken windows policing is effective in fostering a better relationship between law enforcement agents and the community. Crime control and prevention require a strong association between the police and the community they serve. This relationship works best when the community feels like the police are doing something about crime and criminal elements in the neighborhood. For instance, in the case of gang members in an area, a simple arrest may not solve the problem; instead, in most cases, residents prefer that law enforcement agents kick out such gangs and their members from a neighborhood. Doing so offers them a better feeling of safety and order (Wilson et al., 2012). From such kinds of actions, citizens deem the police as being proactive in fighting crime, which is possible through broken windows policing that advocates for a greater police presence in an area to maintain order.

In essence, the effectiveness of broken windows policing presents the understanding that the fight against crime should not only focus on visuals but also on communities, just as proper healthcare is about promoting health rather than just dealing with illnesses (Wilson et al., 2012). Therefore, broken windows policing focuses on bringing physical and social order to communities and offers an effective approach to dealing with the issue of crime. The approach eliminates fear in communities, prevents the escalation of crime, and fosters the police-community relationship, which is crucial in combating crime.

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