Tag: Broken Windows
For months, tens of thousands of (mostly) peaceful protesters have demanded that the NYPD halt its Broken Windows theory of policing — a theory that mandates the enforcement of low level crimes as a way to prevent major crimes from taking place — resulting in a disproportionate amount of arrests amongst black and Hispanics. Well, […]
The NYPD is on track to spend $411 million on misdemeanor crimes this year, despite the fact that 90% of the cases will result in no significant jail time. According to a new report by the Police Reform Organizing Project (PROP) the number of misdemeanors arrests is up this year — 156,572 — compared to 155,831 for the […]
In a directive that came from Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office and that is being viewed through the prism of race, the NYPD has been told to stop arresting people for low-level amounts of weed, according to the New York Post. And of course the Post’s sources are spinning this as a move de Blasio […]
It’s no secret that the targeting of subway performers has only increased since Police Commissioner William Bratton was appointed, and underscored the city’s need to enforce the “Broken Windows” policy. Among the many performers, though, is 5-year-old Nasir Malave, a talented dancer who roams the trains with his older brother, Marc, dancing to make money. […]
A new gallery show of artists who work in NYC’s subways will open tonight at Bushwick’s Armature Art Space. “Showtime: Underground Arts” will feature at least one artist you probably know from your commute. That guy who cuts portraits out of paper (Ming Liang Lu), that guy who paints subway maps (Edwin Class) and one “It’s showtime!”-shouting dance crew […]
Police Commissioner Bill Bratton has repeatedly defended the NYPD’s “broken windows” policy, a style of enforcement that disproportionately targets minorities. He claims that it’s the troubled nature of black and Hispanic neighborhoods that cause the concentration of this sort of police activity, not police racism. The Daily News‘ analysis of data shows this isn’t true — minorities are given summonses at much higher numbers, […]
While the NYPD continues to trumpet its use of “broken windows” policing, actual damaged or missing windows in public housing buildings has increased by 945% between 2005 and 2011, according to a new report from the NYC comptroller’s office. In 2011, the last year for which data was available, New York City Housing Authority buildings were three times as likely to have broken windows, compared to […]
Taking the “broken windows” law enforcement theory to absurd extremes, New York State Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder, of Queens, has voiced his desire to ban a toy called Kidffiti. The kit sold at Toys R Us includes stenciling tools. Sprayable chalk that imitates spray paint is sold separately. “Graffiti is just the first act of vandalism. It oftentimes […]
The Museum of the City of New York’s current exhibit “City As Canvas” features photography of graffiti from the 70′s and 80′s and the work of artists such AS Keith Haring and Lee Quiñones. The show has been up since February, but Police Commissioner Bill Bratton is still angry about it, the Wall Street Journal reports. “I […]
The number of arrests for NYC subway fare evasion has increased 69% between 2008 and 2013, and is still growing, according to the Daily News. An arm of the NYPD’s questionable “broken windows” strategy for preventing higher level crimes by targeting minor offenses, fare beating has become one of the leading causes of arrest that leads to […]
