Hi All,
Last week, I was having a bit of trouble. My topic of the Broken Windows theory and how it affects relations between the police and urban communities seemed to be leading to a dead end. Other than a few authors, including the two developers of the theory, no scholars seem to support this theory. It has been argued that it criminalizes the poor and innocent, and creates a lack of trust between communities and the police, and the evidence supporting it is circumstantial. However, after speaking with my group and Professor Kafka, it was suggested that I focus on why large cities such and New York and LA still enforce and support a policy that few in the academic world are willing to support?
This seems like an interesting question, but one I am having difficulty answering. Is it because urban communities tend to be minorities, and therefore the conceptual “other,” that makes these policies more probable, or is it simply a way to reassure the public and retain residences in large cities where crime has historically been higher? Should I look for historical connections, and if so, what sort of history, and whose history, am I looking into? I’m hoping to narrow down these questions asap; otherwise, my research will be all over the place.
Happy Hunting to All,
Celeste
