A theory introduced in 1982 by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling holding that visible signs of disorder and low-level crime create an environment that encourages further crime, including serious offenses. Later research found the relationship between disorder and serious crime modest and largely attributable to underlying social and economic factors rather than physical disorder itself.
Facts
Core ClaimSourced to the subject's own accountVisible disorder, such as broken windows left unrepaired, signals an absence of social control and encourages further disorder and crime. 1 Origin YearSourced to the subject's own account Standing CritiqueSourced to the subject's own accountLater research found the link between visible disorder and serious crime modest, and largely explained by underlying social and economic conditions rather than physical disorder itself. 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
Community policing and broken windows policing are frequently paired in policing-strategy literature as complementary order-maintenance approaches.
Implemented broken windows theory as order-maintenance policing during his first NYPD tenure (1994-1996) under Mayor Rudolph Giuliani; not one of the theory's original academic authors.
Developed By
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