broken windows theory
broken windows theory proper noun: a criminological theory stating that signs of urban decay (e.g. broken windows, graffiti, loitering) signal that an area is not monitored, encouraging more destructive criminal behavior.
Proper noun
broken windows theory
- A criminological theory stating that signs of urban decay (e.g. broken windows, graffiti, loitering) signal that an area is not monitored, encouraging more destructive criminal behavior.
- Clark disliked the general state of unshavenness, partly for aesthetic reasons and partly because he was a believer in the broken-windows theory of urban-crime management, the way the appearance of dereliction can pave the way for more serious crimes.2014, Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven, Picador (2022), page 249
Forms of broken windows theory
| alternative form | broken window theory |
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Origin of broken windows theory
After article propounding the theory by social scientists James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling, “Broken Windows”, Atlantic Monthly (March 1982).
Questions about broken windows theory
- What does broken windows theory mean?
- Broken windows theory means a criminological theory stating that signs of urban decay (e.g. broken windows, graffiti, loitering) signal that an area is not monitored, encouraging more destructive criminal behavior.
- What part of speech is broken windows theory?
- Broken windows theory is a proper noun.
Words near broken windows theory in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: broken windows theory (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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