This is the essence of "Broken Windows" policing, and at least in the US has proven to be a broken policy. A large number of factors, specifically officer discretion turn these types of minor offenses into taxes levied against the poorest communities. Also, I'm not sure I want the armed enforcers of the state getting into altercations with otherwise law abiding folks over littering.
The failings of the broken windows policies hinge on their faulty premise: that the sight of minor crimes going unenforced leads to people brashly escalating to higher crimes.
I don't believe this premise, yet I wonder sometimes if keeping the peace in regards to smaller offenses would lead to fewer incidences of anger turning to road rage or violent crime. If people do not feel safe or that they have civil outlets for resolution of grievances, perhaps they're more violent? I'm curious what the more social science oriented on this site might know about this.
In any case, there's still yet another reason to enforce laws against small crimes: littering is a terrible thing in itself!
ch4s3|8 years ago
dark_silicon|8 years ago
I don't believe this premise, yet I wonder sometimes if keeping the peace in regards to smaller offenses would lead to fewer incidences of anger turning to road rage or violent crime. If people do not feel safe or that they have civil outlets for resolution of grievances, perhaps they're more violent? I'm curious what the more social science oriented on this site might know about this.
In any case, there's still yet another reason to enforce laws against small crimes: littering is a terrible thing in itself!
synicalx|8 years ago