ABSTRACT
The broken windows theory is based on the premise that if a window in a building is broken and is left unrepaired, all the rest of the windows in the building will soon be broken, also. Crime prevention through environmental design and the broken windows theory suggest that if one nuisance is allowed to exist, it will lead to crime and community issues that will eventually lead to the decline of the entire neighborhood. Properties that are not cared for and poorly maintained are simply breeding grounds for criminal activity. When a property does not look like it is cared for, it communicates to potential offenders that there is no one watching over the property, so there is no one to protect it. If a property is abandoned, weeds will grow and windows will be broken, which will lead to further deterioration of the property and more incivility in the neighborhood.
