Illusion of Order: The False Promise of Broken Windows Policing.(Review)(Brief Article)

Harcourt, Bernard E. Illusion of Order: The False Promise of Broken Windows Policing. Harvard Univ. Jul. 2001. c.288p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 0-674-00472-8. $35. CRIME

For the past couple of decades, many police departments throughout the United States have utilized the order-maintenance approach. This method of policing has been directly influenced by the well-known "broken windows" theory, which can be traced to James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling. Their theory suggests that if minor forms of disorder, such as graffiti, litter, panhandling, and prostitution, are left unattended, the neighborhood will decline and more serious criminal activity emerges. …