The idea comes from a 1982 Atlantic article by James Q. Wilson and George Kelling, who argued that one unrepaired broken window signals that no one cares, inviting more crime. New York City adopted the approach in the 1990s, and departments across the country followed.
The evidence that it reduces serious crime is weak and disputed. What it did produce was a flood of summonses and arrests for minor offenses, concentrated in neighborhoods of color. Each contact carries risks: fines people cannot pay, warrants for missed court dates, criminal records and violent encounters.
Eric Garner was killed by NYPD officers in 2014 during an arrest for allegedly selling loose cigarettes, a classic broken windows offense. His case showed how enforcement of petty rules can escalate into deadly force. The theory still shapes quality-of-life policing and sweeps of homeless encampments today.