#BlackLivesMatter: The Problem with Broken Windows Policing.

First, I’m sure you are thinking: “but all lives matter, not just black lives...”

Ima let you finish but how about you read this first:

#BlackLivesMatter doesn’t mean your life isn’t important–it means that Black lives, which are seen as without value within White supremacy, are important to your liberation. Given the disproportionate impact state violence has on Black lives, we understand that when Black people in this country get free, the benefits will be wide reaching and transformative for society as a whole.   When we are able to end hyper-criminalization and sexualization of Black people and end the poverty, control, and surveillance of Black people, every single person in this world has a better shot at getting and staying free.  When Black people get free, everybody gets free.  This is why we call on Black people and our allies to take up the call that Black lives matter. We’re not saying Black lives are more important than other lives, or that other lives are not criminalized and oppressed in various ways.  We remain in active solidarity with all oppressed people who are fighting for their liberation and we know that our destinies are intertwined. – Alicia Garza 

Now. What does broken windows and black lives have anything to do with each other?
Well, let’s look at broken windows theory or policing first.

The theory or strategy of broken windows is the idea that cracking down on minor offenses or crimes (i.e. graffiti, littering) will therefore reduce the likelihood of more serious offenses or crimes. The thought was that broken windows in a neighborhood would give the appearance that those that lived in the community did not care about the appearance of the neighborhood and thus likely offenders would take advantage of that environment.

While that may seem great and all – there are underlying factors that may cause broken windows to actually criminalize certain communities over others.

In Great American City, Sampson discusses the implicit bias and racialized meanings that go with this idea of disorder relating to broken windows. He mentions how there is a plethora of research that shows how Americans link blacks and other disadvantage minorities to images of crime, violence, disorder, welfare, and undesirability as neighbors (Sampson 2012, pg. 131).

He states “dark skin is an easily observed and salient trait that has become a marker in American society, one imbued with meanings about crime, disorder, and violence, in turn stigmatizing entire categories of people” (Sampson 2012, pg. 132).

He then points to a study in which subjects were told to shoot armed targets and not to shoot unarmed targets. In this vignette study, participants shot an armed target more quickly if he was African American than if he was white. Sampson states that the finding of this study shows “the potentially far-reaching consequences of statistical discrimination and cultural stereotypes that lie below the level of conscious racial prejudice,” he ends saying that “race can influence the decision to shoot because cultural traits associated with African Americans, such as “violent” or “dangerous,” act as a schema to influence perceptions of an ambiguously threatening target” (Sampson 2012, pg. 132).

If people link crime, disorder, and other traits such as “dangerous” and “violent” to black bodies – then when it comes to cracking down on these minor crimes, the main target will be in fact black bodies and other bodies of color.

In a slate article, ‘BrokenWindows Policing Deaths...,’ the author writes that these biases under broken windows: “inform police conduct and lead to situations where blacks and Latinos face the brunt of aggressive policing. Odds are good that a group of black kids hanging out on a stoop will look more suspicious to police, regardless of their behavior.”
These biases do not just lead to incarceration of individuals but can also lead police to act in aggressive and deadly behavior.

Note: Also, incarceration has huge effects on families and communities. Never mind the fact that there are huge racial disparities that exist within who gets sent to prison (quick video here).

“I cant breathe”

Eric Garner died after a police officer placed him on a chokehold. Police had targeted Garner several of times due to him selling cigarettes outside of stores. Eric Garner’s death sparked conversations about the flaws on broken windows policing.



As highlighted below in this quick video, broken windows policing can lead to really aggressive and unnecessary encounters with police:

As the video mentions, broken windows has affected mostly blacks and Latinos.

But keep in mind, black bodies are more likely to be seen as a threat and be seen as disposable than other bodies (including Latin@ bodies) – this thus also affects the way enforcement sees certain communities when it comes to broken windows.

Fixing “broken windows” will not necessarily solve crime in a community when issues such as segregation, poverty, unemployment, isolation, low resources, etc. are not being addressed in the first place – instead using broken windows as a strategy will only continue to criminalize / terrorize communities of color, specifically black communities.