Broken Window Theory

Broken Window Theory

1. Wilson & Kelling 1982

2. Criminality has environmental/psychological/sociological causes

   • Urban environment needs maintaining
     • Broken window = Metaphor
       • 1 broken window suggests something is uncared for = more venerable to crime
         • E.g. Zimbardo's study of 2 cars in 2 different areas supported findings
       • If the window is fixed straight away this suggests ownership and repercussions for offenders breaking it further
         • Applied to crime... trivial crime = first window, If we do not deal with this our society is left venerable to more serious crime

3. More serious crime is rare but it is what we focus on because of the shock appeal

   • The begger versus the murderer
     • New York = piloted a new scheme where trivial minor crime was tackled and their serious crime was seen to go down

4. Informal social controls

   • "getting tough on crime"
   • Disapproval
   • More vidgulance
     • CCTV
     • Neighbourhood watch

5. Property less likely to get targeted for crime

   • Property that looks occupied/owned
   • Property with defendable space
   • Property with a good image

6. Criminality is all about opportunity - removing the opportunity = proactive. Dealing with the crime = reactive