The Broken Windows Theory As Applied To Neighborhoods And Communities Through Patrol Allocation Has Questionable Impact

Broken Windows Theory as Applied in Criminal PolicyNameInstitutional AffiliationDate
Abstract
The issue of security is a matter of concern for every individual within a given nation. Researchers and policy makers have always come up with policies and models for handling security issues within a social setting. One of the most adapted model is the Kelling and Willisons broken windows theory of the year 1982. This model has played a great role in helping communities meet their security needs by implementation of security patrols that aim at minimizing criminal activities and social disorders in community. However the application of this model has its shortcomings that have been highlighted by various researchers and critiques. This paper analyses the broken windows theory and how it has been applied, its success and its elements of failure. The paper further recommends on the appropriate strategies for handling the shortcomings raised from the implementation of the broken windows theory.
Broken Windows Theory as Applied in Criminal Policy
The Broken Windows is a model of policing that was first described in a seminar article by James Q. Wilson and George Kelling in the year 1982. The theory states that there is the need for the maintenance and monitoring of the environments in the urban areas as a way of preventing small crimes that take place and it can help to maintain an atmosphere of order and lawfulness in the community. The model mainly focuses on the importance of disorder which in this case is referred to as the "Broken Windows "and how it results in the generation of more serious crimes CITATION Jam82 \l 1033 (James & Kelling, 1982). The disorder is not directly linked to serious criminal activities that take place in the society. The theory illustrates that existence of disorder in the society can lead to increased fear and withdrawal from the residents who stay in the affected community or neighborhood. The withdrawal of the residents\will allow more serious crimes to begin taking place in that given location since there is a decrease in the level of informal social control. There is one point that comes from the theory, that disorder can cause crime, and if there is a further disorder in the society, then there will be an increase in criminal activities CITATION Jam82 \l 1033 (James & Kelling, 1982).
The Broken Windows Theory
The Broken windows theory brought various impacts on the criminal policing practice in the 1990s, and it is still very influential in the 21st Century. The theory has been applied in various countries ad states. One of the most memorable applications of the theory was in New York City. It was applied under William Bratton who was the Police Commissioner by that time. William Bratton with the other police officers believed that the order maintenance practices which were aggressive in New York City Police Department were the ones which were responsible for the decrease in the rates of crimes that took place within the city during the 1990s. He assigned many plain clothes police officers to arrest anyone who would be found breaking any law. Many people were arrested as the law was practiced indiscriminately throughout all the places in New York. It was observed that as the arrests increased, the crimes that occurred in the city decreased through dramatic means CITATION Ran02 \l 1033 (Randall, 2002). Convinced by the results that were obtained from the previous initiative, William Braton introduced a new initiative by the name "Quality of Life Initiative" that was based on the Broken Windows Theory. The initiative was aimed at cracking down on disorderly behaviors that took place in public. Such behaviors include drinking in public, the practice of prostitution, pickpocketing and many others. By the time of his resignation in the year 1996, the rates of criminal activities that were taking place in New York had dropped by almost forty percent and the incidences of homicide activities were almost a half of the previous ones.
The Broken Windows plays a big role in the social life of the people in the community. It is a way of explaining the interactions among the people in the society. The way of life of people in the community can deteriorate and change over time with the influence of the behavior of unwanted people in the society. It challenges the attitudes that the people have towards various issues and how it influences the decision-making process by an individual.
One of the common concerns about the Broken Windows theory is the theoretical basis for the theory. It does not at all have any theoretical basis. Do we need to begin asking ourselves, what is the ration measure that can be used to illustrate that if we begin arresting the minor offenders such as those who are drinkers, the crime rate will go down? The theory does not as such highlight the root causes of criminal activities that take place in the society. If you look closely at the theory, it seems to suggest that the increase in the criminal activities is caused by the small crimes that are committed by the law breakers. It does not show how issues such as the high rates of unemployment and higher poverty levels can make one begin committing a crime. There is little empirical evidence that disorder can result in an increase in the rates of crime in the community CITATION Ber10 \l 1033 (Berk & MacDonald, 2010).There is need to show that existence of disorder in the society can cause an increase in fear and an increase in fear, on the other hand, will result in a breakdown of all the forms of social control that exist in the society.
The theory also creates numerous assumptions in our minds that are not true at all. For instance, those people who engage in jumping the barriers that are placed at the various subways or kids who are hanging out will in the future become serious criminal offenders, and as such, they should be dealt with by arresting them. The issue of not dealing with the major disorders is likely to make more serious issues and criminal activities to come up in the society.
The Broken Windows Theory has raised a lot of concerns from the public about the application of the theory and its impacts. For instance, in the above application of the theory by William Braton, there are a lot of concerns that have been raised. The role of the police in preventing and lowering the rates of those crimes has not been well illustrated. The police officers are the law enforcing agents, and therefore the theory would not have come into effect if they were not involved in the process.
The theory brings to our attention the importance of understanding the meaning of disorder. A disorder is defined as a behavior that violates or is in contrary to the widely accepted standards and norms of behavior on which there is a broad consensus that exists ...