© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Police in America Chapter Ten: Selection Broken Window Hypothesis

The Roots of Community Policing: Broken Window Hypothesis  Broken Windows Hypothesis: Developed by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling  Influenced the history of policing  “Broken Windows” was an essay for Atlanta Monthly magazine  Argues that police should focus their resources on disorder problems that create fear of crime and lead to neighborhood decay. A broken window begins neighborhood decay. 2

3 The Roots of Community Policing: Broken Window Hypothesis   The image of broken windows symbolizes the relationship among disorder, neighbor decay and crime.   A broken window is a sign nobody cares about the appearance of the property   If a broken window is left unrepaired, it encourages other neighbor residents to neglect their property   This sets into motion a downward spiral of deterioration

4 The Roots of Community Policing: Broken Window Hypothesis   Houses deteriorate   Homeowners move out   Residential dwellings are converted to renatl property   House are converted from single family dwelling to multifamiliy dwellings   Some houses are abandoned   Income of the neighborhood declines   Neighborhood stores close and property values decline   Gradually, crimes in the neighborhood increases

5 The Roots of Community Policing: Broken Window Hypothesis  Initial signs of disorder  Drunks hanging out on the street  Groups of teenagers on the street corners  Law abiding residents become fearful  Stay home  Withdraw from active participation in the neighborhood or move out  The withdraw of law abiding citizens undermines the fabric of neighborhood life  The disorderly elements gain control of public areas, street corners and parks  Process of deterioration accelerates  Ultimate end is serious predatory crime like burglary and robbery

6 The Roots of Community Policing: Broken Window Hypothesis  Traditional policing focuses on the end result: serious crime  Evidence indicates the police officer's ability to fight crime is very limited  Wilson and Kelling argue police should intervene at the beginning of the process of neighborhood deterioration with the first signs of neglect and disorder

7 The Roots of Community Policing: Broken Window Hypothesis  Types of Disorder: 1. Social Disorder (Social Disorganization): A condition said to exist when a group is faced with social change, uneven development of culture, maladaptiveness, disharmony, conflict, and lack of consensus. 1. Social Disorder (Social Disorganization): A condition said to exist when a group is faced with social change, uneven development of culture, maladaptiveness, disharmony, conflict, and lack of consensus. –Examples include such issues as public drinking, street corner gangs, street harassment, street level drug sale and use, noisy neighbors, and commercial sex. 2. Physical Disorder: A form of societal neglect resulting from physical decay within a neighborhood; examples include vandalism, dilapidation and abandonment of buildings, and trash buildup. 2. Physical Disorder: A form of societal neglect resulting from physical decay within a neighborhood; examples include vandalism, dilapidation and abandonment of buildings, and trash buildup.