Broken Windows Theory

What is the "Broken Windows Theory"?

The Broken Windows theory refers to an article by sociologists Dr. James Q. Wilson and Dr. George Kelling that first appeared in the Atlantic Monthly in March of 1982. In that article, the authors put forth the hypothesis that general disorder in communities contribute to the rise of serious crime. The article focused on the analogy of a broken window. If a window is broken and not repaired quickly, soon more windows will be broken, as the perception spreads that no one cares about the building. When many of the windows have been broken, the feeling is created that no one cares about the street and soon other structures will be vandalized. Other quality of life crimes begin to establish themselves, and litter accumulates and drug and gang activities become more common. Gradually, this disorder makes residents feel unsafe and they abandon the street to the "dangerous elements" that they believe already have control. This exacerbates the problem, causing the sale of homes and the failure of business. Soon the area becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, experiencing serious crime. Since that first article, several studies by George Kelling and others have revealed a strong link between quality of life crimes, citizen fear, and the rise of serious crime, confirming the Broken Windows Theory.