What is Broken Windows Theory?
In 1982, political scientist James Q. Wilson and criminologist George Keeling published an article in the Atlantic Monthly outlining their “Broken Windows Theory”. The Broken Windows Theory states, “If a window in a building is broken and left unrepaired, all the rest of the windows will soon be broken one unrepaired window is a signal that no one cares and so breaking more windows will cost nothing.” The Broken Window is a metaphor for any disorderly behaviour or minor crime. There are two types of disorder; social and physical. Social disorder refers to threatening public behaviours, such as verbal rowdiness, harassment, intoxication, solicitation for prostitution, and drug sales. Physical disorder refers to signs of urban deterioration, such as graffiti, abandoned cars, broken windows, syringes, needles, condoms, beer bottles, cigarettes and garbage in the streets. Broken Windows Theory postulates that if disorderly behaviour in a community goes unaddressed, it signals that nobody c
