The Kojo Nnamdi Show

James Q. Wilson co-authored an essay applying the "Broken Windows" theory to law enforcement in 1982, suggesting that crack downs on petty crime create the sense of a more orderly society and deter more serious crime. It's a theory credited with the stunning turnaround of New York City's high crime rates in the nineties, and has become a foundation for law enforcement strategy in police departments across the country. James Q. Wilson passed away last week; we speak with his co-author about the enduring ideas in that influential essay.