Text 1: Criminologist Park argues that "broken windows" policing — aggressively addressing minor offenses to prevent more serious crime — contributed to the dramatic crime decline in 1990s New York. Visible enforcement, Park contends, signaled that public spaces were monitored, deterring would-be offenders.
Text 2: Criminologist Singh accepts that crime fell sharply in 1990s New York but disputes the broken windows explanation. Crime fell at similar rates in cities that did not adopt broken windows policing, she notes, suggesting broader factors — demographic shifts, the end of the crack epidemic, leaded gasoline phaseout — drove the decline. Broken windows, Singh argues, takes credit for trends it did not cause.
The authors most clearly disagree about
- Acheck_circle
whether broken windows policing was the primary cause of the decline.
- B
whether minor offenses occur in cities.
- C
whether the crack epidemic existed.
- D
whether crime fell in 1990s New York.
Explanation
Both accept the crime decline. They disagree on causation. B captures the dispute.