Key Research: Wilson and Kelling - The police and neighbourhood safety Flashcards
What programme was implemented in New Jersey and what were the results of the programme after five years?
A programme was implemented which involved putting more police officers on the street (foot patrols). After five years the programme showed no decrease in time rates.
What was good about the programme in New Jersey?
They found foot patrols made residents feel more secure and they believed crime was reduced, and they found foot patrol officers had more morale than car patrol officers.
What did Wilson and Kelling suggest about crime in big cities?
That there is a lot of crime in big cities which causes residents to have a fear of crime.
What did Kelling do to investigate foot patrols?
He joined a foot patrol in Newark, New Jersey.
What did Kelling investigate when he joined the foot patrols?
He investigated existing beliefs about the fear of crime and role of the police, and the links between disorder and serious crime in communities.
What did Kelling find to do with the officers and regulars?
He found that officers on patrol knew he regulars and they knew him - part of job was to make sure ‘disreputable’ regulars ‘knew their place’ and would follow informal rules.
What are three informal rules Kelling discovered the officers had in the neighbourhood?
- Drunks and addicts could sit on the stoops but could not lie down
- Drinking allowed in side streets but not on main streets
- Bottles had to be in paper bags
How do Wilson and Kelling suggest that fear of crime and broken windows are linked?
They suggest that if a window is broken and not repaired, soon all the other windows in the building will be broken, as an unrealised window suggests that nobody cares so breaking another one won’t matter.
How do Wilson and Kelling suggest disorder is related to crime?
They suggest that disorder leads to the breakdown of community controls, and ‘untended’ behaviour, such as unrepaired windows, can spiral down to create public disorder.
How do Wilson and Kelling suggest a lack of public order makes the community more vulnerable to crime?
Because it is easy for drug sellers and prostitutes to operate, and that drinks will be robbed by teenagers and muggings will occur.
Who were the Guardian Angels and what did they do in New York?
They were used to increase a sense of public order. They were voluntary crime-prevention unarmed patrollers.
What do Wilson and Kelling conclude and police?
That they are the key for public order, and foot patrols don’t necessarily catch criminals but prevent crime from occurring.
What are other conclusions of Wilson and Kellings study?
- That police need to identify neighbourhoods that aren’t yet crime ridden and zero-tolerance police should be used
- Disorder and crime are linked (broken windows)
