Sociology
Broken Windows Policing and Its Community Impact
Quick fact
In the 1990s, New York City adopted broken windows policing, and serious crime dropped dramatically—but the policy also led to a surge in arrests for minor offenses, disproportionately affecting Black and Latino residents, raising major civil rights concerns.
Why this is interesting
Imagine a street with a single broken window. If it's not fixed quickly, vandals will break the rest. Could this tiny sign of neglect actually lead to more crime in a whole neighborhood?