Broken windows theory has had a considerable impact on criminology and sociology. It was widely applied in New York under Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who later became Donald Trump’s lawyer. But what does the theory say?
Background
James Q. Wilson and George Kelling introduced the theory in 1982, and it became widely influential in policing during the 1990s. Its application has attracted considerable criticism, with many regarding it as a clear example of discrimination. Nevertheless, it continues to have supporters around the world.
The experiment
Two cars without number plates were parked in different neighbourhoods: one with a bad reputation and another regarded as safer. The car in the first neighbourhood was quickly stripped and its contents stolen. The second remained untouched. Then a researcher broke a window of the second car. What do you think happened?
It, too, was looted. This experiment became associated with the criminological idea known as broken windows theory.
What does it mean?
If you want to prevent major problems, start by addressing small ones—and perhaps the principle can sometimes work in reverse. Big events grow out of small events. In personal development, books such as Make Your Bed and The Compound Effect can be read as positive applications of a similar idea. But the story of broken windows does not end there.
Putting the theory into practice
When Giuliani was elected mayor of New York, fighting crime was central to his platform. Broken windows became a guide for the city’s police. Large numbers of officers were deployed to improve conditions in the subway. Even fare evasion attracted police attention. Officers no longer simply passed by graffiti or public cannabis use.
Crime rates fell dramatically. Newspapers reported that New York’s police had reduced crime through action against minor offences and initiatives such as the campaign for civility.
The lesson I take from it
Big events grow out of small ones. The idea can be applied positively as well: the habits discussed in books such as Make Your Bed and The Compound Effect suggest that small actions accumulate.
My own moral is this: however small your good deed may seem, it may help prevent something worse.
Further listening
If you are a lawyer or have an interest in criminology, Wilson and Kelling are the key theorists to explore. If the subject simply interests you and you want to hear more, try the “Broken Windows” episode of the Hidden Brain podcast.
English translation of the author’s essay originally published on 18 May 2022.