In hypothetical situations, broken windows theory makes sense. It’s logical that residents of a neighborhood will feel safer if small crimes are kept in check; it’s also logical that a neighborhood will feel unsafe if small crimes are rampant. However, when it comes to actually implementing this theory, there is a lot of room for error, which can have serious and dire consequences.
In class, Bob Gangi talked about the shortcomings of broken windows theory, with a focus on abuse of police power. We discussed the various cases of racially biased police brutality that have occurred in recent years – black men have been killed for committing petty crimes or “looking suspicious.” We also discussed stop and frisk quotas, and how policies like this make a neighborhood’s residents distrustful of the police charged with keeping them safe.
In my view, broken windows theory is valid, but must be used with caution. In an ideal world, where police are respectful of the residents of a neighborhood and react appropriately to crimes depending on their severity, I could see broken windows theory working. Until then, reforms need to be made dealing with how the police interact with the people they work for.
Sarah Dunford
