Study in Lowell supports ‘broken windows’ theory

A study conducted in Lowell provides new support for the “broken windows” theory, which holds that keeping neighborhoods clean, orderly and well-maintained is an important tool in preventing crime.

In 2005, researchers identified 34 crime hot spots in Lowell and divided them into two groups. Half received problem-oriented help such as fixing streetlights and clearing away litter, while the other half received no additional assistance. Results published in the August issue of the journal Criminology show a 20 percent decrease in calls to police from the areas that received special attention.

Brenda Bond, a Suffolk University professor of public management who co-authored the study with Anthony Braga of Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, said that since the report was published, she has heard from several police chiefs in Massachusetts interested in applying its findings.

In Lowell, where Bond served as the Police Department’s director of research and development in the 1990s, local officials have long paid special attention to preventing neighborhoods from becoming unsightly, according to City Manager Bernard Lynch.

“The big thing that this study pointed out is that it isn’t just police,” Lynch said, noting that personnel from departments such as public works and inspectional services also play crucial roles in ensuring that problem areas receive attention. “It’s very much an integrated approach.”