Broken Windows

Community Reactions

Community reactions to the Broken Windows policing strategy have been mixed, particularly among marginalized groups. Jamal Johnson describes the impersonal nature of such policing, where interactions with law enforcement can feel dehumanizing and arbitrary 1. This sentiment is echoed in the case of Eric Garner, whose death highlighted the growing distrust between police and African American communities 2.

My response was, excuse me, sir. I certainly didn't mean to do that. Thank you. At which stage he took down my info, told me not to have my knife on me again, and then let me go home with a sour look. I think it's worse than humiliation to me because it's not personal.

--- Jamal Johnson

Shankar Vedantam notes that George Kelling, one of the theory's originators, foresaw potential abuses and questioned how to prevent police from becoming agents of neighborhood bigotry 1.

   

Media and Politics

The media and political figures have played significant roles in amplifying the Broken Windows theory, often oversimplifying its application. Bill Bratton, New York's police commissioner, faced criticism for the policy's impact on communities of color, despite its global acclaim for reducing crime 2. George Kelling expressed dismay at how the theory was adopted without considering its nuances, leading to unintended consequences 2.

When, during the 1990s, broken windows was a hot ticket item, I would occasionally read in a newspaper something like, new chief comes in and says, I just read broken windows, and I'm going to implement broken windows tomorrow. I won't repeat the magic words that go through my mind because we're on the air, but I would listen to that with dismay.

--- George Kelling

The policy's expansion from subways to city-wide enforcement was initially celebrated for its effectiveness, but critics argued it unfairly targeted marginalized communities 3.