Tag: Research

Getting Broken Windows Policing Right

I just listened to the 2 part podcast “History of Police Oppression of Africans in America” and I have to correct the discussion about Broken Windows Policing in part 2 of the podcasts.

The podcast:

At the 16:00 minute make the discussion turns to what is Broken Windows Policing.  The Interviewee Ronald Hampton is touted as a policing expert.  Mr. Hampton presents that Broken Windows Policing in New York City (NYC) was used to victimize city residents.  Hampton argues that incarceration grew because of Broken Windows Policing.  More youths were arrest for just simply doing what youths do like hanging around street corners.  At the 19:00 minute mark Dr. Ron Daniels (the host) adds that Broken Windows Policing criminalized person side hustles such as 3 card monte street games and squeegee men.

My critique:

The discussion about Broken Windows Policing was at the very least inflated or misconstrued at worst the discussion purposely misrepresented the facts about Broken Windows Policing.  Broken Windows Policing transformed NYC to the safest large city in America.  In the 1990’s the implementation of Broken Windows Policing as the predominate crime-fighting strategy lowered crime and made NYC safer.  Broken Windows Policing was used to enforce the rules, violations, and crimes that affected New Yorker’s quality-of-life.  Arrests for city ordinances or penal law violations alone did not increase incarceration in NYC.  Youth did not go to jail for hanging around street corners.  At most police would have the youth move on or take them to the police precinct and release the youth to their parents.  Youths or juveniles can’t be arrested for any offense less than a crime.  Lastly, 3 card monte street games and squeegee men are perfect examples of the type of quality-of-life violations that New Yorker’s wanted to end.  Three (3) card monte street games are fraudulent schemes to trick people out of money.  The fraudsters also worked the crowd to pickpocket observers.  Squeegee men would spill substances on windows, step in front of vehicles, and threaten occupants to coerce the drive to paying for a car windshield cleaning.  Both 3 card monte street games and squeegee men activities were crimes.

Dive deeper into Broken Windows Policing with these key resources:

Bratton, William, and Peter Knobler. Turnaround: How America’s top cop reversed the crime epidemic. Random House, 2009.

Kelling, George L., and Catherine M. Coles. Fixing broken windows: Restoring order and reducing crime in our communities. Simon and Schuster, 1997.

Kelling, George L., and James Q. Wilson. “Broken windows.” Atlantic monthly 249, no. 3 (1982): 29-38.

Maple, Jack, and Chris Mitchell. The crime fighter: Putting the bad guys out of business. Crown, 2010.

A look back on the Washington Post database of people shot and killed by police – Quality Policing

Now with ICE dominating the law enforcement news, sometimes I like to revisit issues of yesteryear. The Washington Post used to keep track of how many people police shoot and kill. It was and is a useful database. And then in 2025 they stopped counting. So it covers 2015 to 2024. And given recent cutbacks at the Washington Post, it’s safe to say it’s not going to be restarted.

But at least we have a solid (if limited) 10-year database of fatal police-involved shootings. It’s also useful because it’s very accessible and easy for even the statistically adept. The only active accurate database now is kept by Campaign Zero and their Mapping Police Violence (ideologically anti-policing and into police abolition, but still, kudos to them). And no, shamefully, the federal government still doesn’t keep track.

— Read on qualitypolicing.com/a-look-back-on-the-washington-post-database-of-people-shot-and-killed-by-police/

Utah Takes Aim at Unsolved Violent Crime – R Street Institute

Despite a nationwide decline in violent crime rates, Utah faces a persistent challenge: too many violent crimes go unsolved. The consequences ripple through communities across the state, leaving victims and families without closure, allowing dangerous offenders to remain at large, and eroding confidence in the justice system. Recent data from Utah’s law enforcement agencies reveal troubling clearance gaps that demand attention.
— Read on www.rstreet.org/commentary/utah-takes-aim-at-unsolved-violent-crime/

Resource spotlight: Data projects tracking police misconduct, use of force, and employment histories | Prison Policy Initiative

The need for law enforcement transparency, oversight, and accountability has never been clearer. We highlight data projects that have helped document and investigate misconduct, as …
— Read on www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2026/01/26/police_misconduct/

Reported Flash Mob Shoplifting Incidents: 2020‒2024 U.S. Department of Justice—Federal Bureau of Investigation

The FBI describes a flash mob as a form of shoplifting that occurs when an organized group
selects a specific retail store from which to collectively steal. Flash mob shoplifting is not a
dedicated offense for law enforcement agencies to report in the National Incident-Based
Reporting System (NIBRS) of the FBI’s UCR Program; however, NIBRS data are versatile and
can be used to compile incidents that align with the FBI’s description.

This report defines a flash mob shoplifting incident as one that includes a reported shoplifting
offense occurring at a location defined as a store or otherwise dealing in buying/selling activity,
with six or more offenders, and no more than one business reported as a victim. This study
analyzes shoplifting data over five years, from 2020 through 2024, that meet this constructed
definition for a flash mob.

Get the Report HERE

Universal Mental Health Screening in Schools

Mental health screening in public schools has grown in recent years. As of 2021, nearly one-third of American schools reported that their district mandated student screening.[1] While widespread implementation has occurred somewhat inconspicuously, empirical evidence has shown that universal mental health screening does not improve clinical or academic outcomes and indeed has harmful effects. This […]
— Read on manhattan.institute/article/universal-mental-health-screening-in-schools-a-critical-assessment

The Impact of School Police Reform on Student Safety and School Experiences

Executive Summary

Background

Following widespread calls for police reform in 2020, school districts across California made critical decisions about school policing. This study examined what happened when districts removed police from schools—the first comprehensive research of its kind. Using rigorous quasi-experimental methods, WestEd compared 60 schools from 6 districts that removed Police during 2019–2021 with 120 matched comparison schools from 30 districts that retained police, tracking outcomes through the 2021–22 school year.

Key Findings

Schools that removed police saw significant improvements in how students experienced their school environment. Students reported stronger caring relationships with staff and more meaningful participation in school. Both effects represent medium but substantively important impacts on student well-being. Contrary to concerns, removing police did not lead to increases in violence victimization, harassment or bullying, substance use, delinquency, or suspension rates (overall or by race/ethnicity). Finally, schools with higher student-to-counselor ratios (averaging 488:1, nearly double the recommended 250:1) that retained police showed higher rates of student-reported violence. However, schools that removed police were protected against this negative effect, regardless of counselor ratios.

Read the Final Report HERE