broken windows theory

E243237

Broken windows theory is a criminological concept proposing that visible signs of disorder and minor offenses, if left unaddressed, encourage more serious crime and antisocial behavior.

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Statements (51)

Predicate Object
instanceOf criminological theory
social theory
appliedIn public space management
transportation systems policing
urban crime prevention
assumes offenders interpret disorder as a sign of low risk of sanction
residents interpret disorder as a sign of weak social control
coreConcept disorder
informal social control
neighborhood stability
order maintenance
signal of social norms
countryOfOrigin United States of America
surface form: United States
criticizedFor conflating disorder with serious crime
disproportionate impact on minority communities
encouraging over-criminalization of poverty
potential to justify aggressive policing of minor offenses
weak empirical support in some studies
exampleOfDisorder broken windows
fare evasion
graffiti
loitering
public drinking
field criminology
sociology
urban studies
hasAuthor George L. Kelling
James Q. Wilson
hasCritic Bernard E. Harcourt
Robert J. Sampson
Stephen D. Mastrofski
hasSupportFrom some police practitioners
some urban policymakers
inception 1982
influenced New York City policing in the 1990s
community policing strategies
order-maintenance policing
zero-tolerance policing
mainClaim tolerating minor offenses leads to escalation of antisocial behavior
visible signs of disorder encourage more serious crime
policyImplication maintaining physical order can prevent serious crime
police should address minor offenses promptly
visible enforcement of norms can reinforce informal social control
publicationDate March 1982
publicationTitle Broken Windows
publishedIn The Atlantic Monthly
relatedConcept collective efficacy
defensible space theory
order-maintenance policing
situational crime prevention
social disorganization theory

Referenced by (5)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

James Q. Wilson notableTheory broken windows theory
James Q. Wilson coDeveloperOf broken windows theory
James Quinn Wilson knownFor broken windows theory
subject surface form: James Q. Wilson
George L. Kelling coAuthorOf broken windows theory
this entity surface form: Broken Windows article
George L. Kelling notableWork broken windows theory
this entity surface form: “Broken Windows: The Police and Neighborhood Safety”