Broken Windows Theory Research Paper

Words: 418
Pages: 2

Broken windows is a theory known as when certain lower levels of crime, disorder deviance occur and are not held accountable due to crime preventing failure, then more higher levels of crime are more likely to occur. The theory was first proposed in 1982 by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling. The broken windows theory has had an effect on policing in the past, and will somehow have an effect o how policing is handled in the future as well. Broken windows theory has impacted the policing in the past. Citizens felt safer knowing that the police department conducted to have more foot patrols in neighborhoods, and made a sense that the police officer would be more aware of the crime that are occurring in those neighborhoods. As time went on the police department adapted motorized patrol. This cause some people in those neighborhoods to feel like the police had lost their touch with the community and became less aware of the small undisclosed issues that make bigger crimes to occur. Broken windows theory was thought to be a zero tolerance style of policing. Some police departments like the ones in New York had put into effect the zero tolerance style and had claimed it decreased the crime rates in the 1990s. The police started to find better ways to approach arrest and focus on a more aggressive ways to approach crime as well as …show more content…
The police are more likely to quickly judge or even blame a black male for a crime he did not commit over a white male. Recent events throughout the nation has proved that the broken windows theory has no connection with the police violence towards blacks because there were many cases were the person was innocent and the polices officers are quick to judge them based on their appearance and in many cases some police officers had resulted into violence and discharging their weapons against