Broken Windows Policing

The focus on all levels of crime, even broken windows, in the now proven theory that vigorous enforcement of laws reduces crime, continues to be validated.

The broken windows theory was first proposed in a 1982 article in Atlantic Monthly by George Kelling and James Q. Wilson and has proven itself as the most effective crime control policing ever, as a recent evaluation reported in a February 2009 article in the Boston Globe noted.

Broken windows policing, along with three strikes sentencing, and the institution of programs developed and managed by reformed criminals to reform other criminals would form a three phase effort of effective criminal justice work that currently works effectively only in the first two phases, while still failing in the third.

Reentry statistics still show approximately 60-70% of criminals released from prison return to prison and crime within three years, and with approximately 700,000 prisoners being released each year, that is a significant problem that has yet to be adequately addressed through the utilization of traditional rehabilitation programs.

In Los Angeles, where police chief Bratton, an early adherent of broken windows policing, has continued his stellar work and crime continues to fall, as this article from the Los Angeles Times reports.

An excerpt.

“Crime in much of Los Angeles County and elsewhere in Southern California has dropped significantly so far this year, despite an economic meltdown that has pushed unemployment into double digits, imploded the housing market and shuttered countless businesses.

“The decline flies in the face of predictions made by many crime experts that the region would probably experience substantial increases in property-related crimes and some types of violence as more people fell into financial hardship.

“Overall in the city of Los Angeles, property crimes, such as burglary and auto theft, were down 6.4% over the same period last year, while violent crimes, including homicides and rapes, were down 4.9%. The only citywide increase was a 1.6% rise in robberies. Elsewhere in the county, the Sheriff's Department reported a 10% drop in serious violent and property crimes in the areas it patrols.

“Other large American cities similarly have bucked expectations this year. New York City posted a dramatic 14% drop in overall serious crimes, while Chicago and Houston also saw declines. Across the country, however, things are far more uneven. More than 100 large police departments have reported increases in property crimes or robberies this year, according to a survey by a police research group.

“But few other major cities in the country have been hit harder by the economy than Los Angeles, where the unemployment rate has reached 12%. Police Chief William J. Bratton sounded his familiar refrain when asked to explain why crime has not increased. "Cops matter. Police count," he said.”