Stephen Lurie argues that “order maintenance policing” does not really help, and that social networks (“street groups” or gangs, sets, and crews) making up <1% of the population are involved in most violent crimes. He also argues that “order maintenance policing” alienates communities from the police, potentially driving people to “street groups” for personal protection.
I’ve seen data supporting “broken windows” policing, and not. It has been credited with getting NY cleaned up during the Giuliani years.
Catching turnstile jumpers and the very controversial stop and frisk, did and has resulted in catching some habitual criminals that are truly not people anyone wants out snd about. It has also resulted in harassment of targets groups of people, usually of color, that has caused a lot of damage. To criminalize those who have committed non violet crimes causes enormous damage.
The town where aid worked early this year was going down hill 20-30 years ago, with streets of once well maintained houses becoming abandoned and in disrepair. Not just broken windows but overgrown lawns. The town passed a law requiring grass to be no higher than a certain height or the city would mow , and a lien placed on home in the amount that “service” cost if the homeowner did not pay up. It would continue until the house wax taken over by the town. It really did clean up the LORs, though the houses themselves took longer to recover. A slow but steady definite improvement has been noted, a Broken Windows law that appears to be working.
However, When such a large percentage of certain populations are criminalized before they enter adulthood, the laws that are causing this need to be re-examined carefully.
Crime was going down even before the “broken windows” laws were enacted, that said, I am so happy we are not assaulted by the window squeegee crews every time we enter the City!
California essentially decriminalized ‘petty’ theft, that is anything under $950. And what do you know? Petty theft is on the rise. Shoplifting is brazen, in broad daylight and the store managers do nothing because they know the police won’t do anything because the thieves will just be released after a day. So shoppers feel unsafe. Our local TJ has a man standing at the door saying ‘watch your purse’ due to the increase in purse snatchings.
Unfortunately, data doesn’t support your claim:
https://openjustice.doj.ca.gov/data-stories/2018/crime-reported-2009-2018
NYC has gone soft on victimless crime. My husband works in NYC and says that almost every time he rides the subway (several times a week) he witnesses a turnstile jumper not paying their fare. When you don’t stop these types of behaviors, they become commonplace and accepted. I want everybody to pay their fare, so the city has money to make the subway better. I don’t want these turnstile jumpers in jail, I just want them to be stopped. If it were harder to do or they felt they might get caught, the behavior would end.
As usual, the data from California are complex. The law was changed as a result of a ballot initiative. It appears that thefts from vehicles are up, but overall crime is not and California still has low crime rates. Apparently, S. Carolina increased the petty theft level to $2,000 with no significant increase in petty theft. It is not clear that the sign in your local TJs is directly related to this new law. It is still a misdemeanor. May not get jail time, but still get a record.
It should be noted that the theshhold in Texas is $2,500, not exactly a “soft on crime” state.
Finding the right balance between policing broken windows and causing mass incarceration for petty crimes is a not easy. But, I too, was glad to see the end of the squeegee men.
When I lived in NYC in the 80s I saw turnstile jumpers all the time. Admitted I only am in the city once a week now, but I haven’t seen anyone jumping the stiles all year.
The claim was that petty crime goes unreported because it is not punished. What in the data refutes that?
The LA Times reported that theft was up since this proposition was passed. When i have time I will post. Although there is a subscription firewall.