Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

broken windows theory

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.34 in modern English

Syllables: bro-ken win-dows the-o-ry
IPA

38

Scrabble Score

19

Letters

5

Syllables

13

Unique Chars

Meaning

name

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.

Example Sentences

"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."

Etymology

After article propounding the theory by social scientists James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling, “Broken Windows”, Atlantic Monthly (March 1982).

Inflected Forms

broken window theory (alternative)

Phrases

broken windows policing

Frequently Paired Words

broken windows policing

Questions

What does broken windows theory mean?: 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.
Where does broken windows theory come from?: After article propounding the theory by social scientists James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling, “Broken Windows”, Atlantic Monthly (March 1982).

How to pronounce broken windows theory

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