Littering- What's the Problem?According to Keep America Beautiful, litter is misplaced solid waste. That includes paper, cigarette butts, illegal signs, abandoned cars, old tires, furniture, appliances and any other items that are not disposed of properly. We all know that litter is unsightly, but it has other more devastating impacts on our communities. Litter, and also graffiti, are known as "Quality of Life" crimes. While these types of crimes are often viewed as less serious than violent crimes, empirical evidence shows that they have a tremendous impact on the quality of life in our communities and can lead to serious criminal and economic problems. We are all victims of these crimes and we all have a part to play in stopping them.
What is the "Broken Windows Theory"?
The Broken Windows theory refers to an article by sociologists Dr. James Q. Wilson and Dr. George Kelling that first appeared in the Atlantic Monthly in March of 1982. In that article, the authors put forth the hypothesis that general disorder in communities contributes to the rise of serious crime. The article focused on the analogy of a broken window. If a window is broken and not repaired quickly, soon more windows will be broken as the perception that no one cares about the building spreads. When many of the windows have been broken, the feeling is created that no one cares about the street and soon other structures will be vandalized. Other quality of life crimes begin to establish themselves, litter accumulates and drug and gang activities become more common. Gradually, this disorder makes residents feel unsafe and they abandon the street to the "dangerous elements" that they believe already have control. This exacerbates the problem, causing the sale of homes and the failure of businesses. Soon the area becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, experiencing serious crime. Since that first article, several studies by George Kelling and others have revealed a strong link between quality of life crimes, citizen fear, and the rise of serious crime, confirming the Broken Windows Theory.Litter and graffiti can act like broken windows. If not corrected these problems create the impression that no one cares about the area and making it seem dangerous. Think about it. What are some of the clues that you use to determine if a neighborhood is safe or prosperous? The absence of litter and graffiti are probably on your list.
The good news is that just as broken windows can be fixed, so can litter and graffiti problems. We all have a part to play in keeping our neighborhoods free of these dual threats. Keep Georgia Beautiful and your local Keep America Beautiful Affiliate can help provide you with the tools and resources to be successful. To find out how you can help, contact your local affiliate or Keep Georgia Beautiful. To learn more about the Broken Windows theory, read "Fixing Broken Windows: Restoring Order and Reducing Crime in Our Communities" by George Kelling and Catherine Coles, or click here to see a list of other related publications.