Broken (windows) theory: A meta-analysis of the evidence …
1. Introduction. In 1982, Wilson and Kelling (1982) published an essay in The Atlantic that posited that disorder (i.e., public incivilities and deterioration) in urban neighborhoods leads to increases in serious crime. Over the following 30 years, this concept, dubbed "broken windows" theory (BWT), has become highly influential, leading many other disciplines to …