Fixing Broken Windows: Restoring Order and Reducing Crime in Our Communities

The information was taken directly from Wikipedia. I'm putting trust and hope in the information that it is valid. After reading an article on the broken windows theory, it seems to correlate appropriately.

The book is based on an article titled "Broken Windows" by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling, which appeared in the March 1982 edition of The Atlantic Monthly.[2] The title comes from the following example:

“Consider a building with a few broken windows. If the windows are not repaired, the tendency is for vandals to break a few more windows. Eventually, they may even break into the building, and if it's unoccupied, perhaps become squatters or light fires inside. Or consider a sidewalk. Some litter accumulates. Soon, more litter accumulates. Eventually, people even start leaving bags of trash from take-out restaurants there or breaking into cars.”

A successful strategy for preventing vandalism, say the book's authors, is to fix the problems when they are small. Repair the broken windows within a short time, say, a day or a week, and the tendency is that vandals are much less likely to break more windows or do further damage. Clean up the sidewalk every day, and the tendency is for litter not to accumulate (or for the rate of littering to be much less). Problems do not escalate and thus respectable residents do not flee a neighborhood.

The theory thus makes two major claims: that further petty crime and low-level anti-social behavior will be deterred, and that major crime will, as a result, be prevented. Criticism of the theory has tended to focus only on the latter claim.

I'm interested to read the book so that I can form my own opinions on the broken windows theory. I find in a sense from what I've briefly gathered, that some of it can hold true, but find that there are always complexities to an issue. Therefore, I'm sure I would need to read the entire book and do other research to understand the theory.

I look forward to it.

The Fray - Enough For Now from Krispies on Vimeo.

Respectability

I just got back from a speech on women and the role they play in this whole Iraq situation, etc.
I'm not sure that I was paying attention to all of it, I got the general idea of what she was trying to say, but...this is what I did catch and hold on to.

Women in all societies strive to have and keep respectability. In actuality respectability is in the eye of the beholder. As a woman, you can fill social norms and expectations so that you can be respectable, but in actuality, you have no control over it. Women are concerned with the decisions they make that may jeopardize their respectability with others in their society.

So what I take from that...
There can be a plethora of things I want to do/be/enjoy, but because society (i.e. THE MAN...he he) may view me as disrespectful (or enter any other negative word that may refer to women) I cannot do it. In order to stay in a positive light, I must please those around me, even if that means sacrificing some of myself or what I believe in to do so.

I feel as if I can think of how this idea impacts women's lives negatively, and can limit freedoms.
1.sexuality
2.career
3.relationships/marriage
4.children (or the lack there of)
5.religion

Slumdog

Bastards of the Party: History of Crips & Bloods (Los Angeles) - HBO Documentary

I'm posting this here so that someday, soon, I suppose, I'll sit and watch it.