Broken Windows Theory and Policing

The Broken Windows Theory has been a very potent aspect of policing in modern days that has influenced the idea of policing policy and community safety. Researchers are still attempting to cognize its strengths and weaknesses with interest in policing and police accountability. They are also trying to answer the questions raised with the racial disparity concerns. The results of these studies have suggested the implementation of body-worn cameras (BWCs) as one of the changes that would boost transparency and trust. This discussion examines BWCs and the broken windows theory in policing.

The Broken Windows Theory

The Broken Windows Theory is a theoretical approach to crime that Wilson and Kelling developed in the 1980s. It states that observable disorder, whether in vandalism or loitering, makes more serious crimes flourish. People have criticized that broken windows policing is often viewed as a form of defensive enforcement of minor offenses. According to them, this aspect makes its application disproportionately target the minority community and causes mistrust (Alexander, 2020). This outcome links to the Code of the Streets (2000) by Anderson, which notes that already marginalized communities create their own informal code of conduct as a response to the distrust that they have of the institutionalized systems like the police.

Body-Worn Cameras

The BWCs have become a trend in policing in the United States since the 2010s, when the high-profile police violence cases surged. Federal grants in millions of dollars were allocated towards helping with the adoption, hoping that cameras would aid with accountability and reduce misconduct. However, these reforms have failed because they fail to take into consideration systemic inequalities that have been designed within the police system and the justice system (Alexander, 2020). These results have made BWCs a risk of becoming technological solutions that do not resolve underlying issues within the police system.

Braga et al. Findings

Braga and colleagues conducted one of the most extensive randomized controlled studies regarding BWCs usage and impacts within the New York Police Department. Their research revealed that the complaints from the citizens against the officers carrying BWCs reduced by 21 percent (Braga et al. 2022). These results indicate that BWCs enhanced civility and accountability within the department. The study also determined the existence of problems of prejudice and unlawful policing, which the BWCs would not resolve. From the research, the researchers concluded that BWCs are helpful in improving checks and balances and accountability. However, they are insufficient in eliminating unconstitutional practices.

Conclusion

Broken Windows theory has helped to determine systemic problems in policing. BWCs have, in turn, proved vital in improving accountability and integrity within the policing system. However, a gap exists between theory, reform, and practice. This gap has made BWCs unable to resolve unconstitutional practices in policing. Future studies should therefore determine means of eliminating these problems to enhance policing.