Way back when, yours truly was an administrative specialist in the U.S. Air Force. I was assigned to the Supply Squadron. My job was to organize paper files in filing cabinets all over the building — the warehouse, inventory, customer support and more departments than I can ever remember.
Supervisors would groan when they saw me coming, knowing I would compare my file plans to their documents to make sure they were in the right place. Not to brag too much, but I was so good at this that eventually I got a USAF Commendation Medal for my oh-so superior filing skills.
There was a good reason to be picky. Once or twice a year, the Inspector General (IG) and his cadre of junior Inspectors would land at the base to do what they did best — inspect. They’d pour over every inch to make sure we were meeting all requirements.
You wouldn’t think the location of a few files would matter much. But it did. If they found a flaw, they’d dig deeper. One piece of paper out of place could indicate more infractions in other areas of operation. Why, the whole base could be rife with write-ups because of those few documents.
Decades later I stumbled upon a theory that explained the IG’s approach.
Minor Infractions Lead to Disorder
The thought process is called the Broken Windows Theory. It’s defined as “…visible signs of crime, such as broken windows, vandalism, public drinking, jaywalking…create an environment that promotes even more crime…” (James Wilson & George Kelling, 1982)
It makes perfect sense. Houses that aren’t kept up lead to property values declining in a neighborhood. Children who steal candy from the corner store and aren’t punished may think they can get away with that and more in the future. Communities that allow trash to accumulate alongside highways ruin the city’s reputation. A book that has misspellings and grammar errors leaves a bad impression on the reader. Neglecting minor maintenance on your car could lead to costlier repairs in the future.
Benefits of Fixing “Broken Windows”
Regardless of the time it takes or money it might cost, there are benefits from our efforts to clean things up.
- Repairing sidewalks and filling potholes shows we care about our communities.
- Eliminating foul language can improve the quality of your friends.
- Children who are taught to be respectful to their parents are more likely to treat others nicely.
- Teens who hold themselves to higher standards are more likely to have a better quality of life.
- Addressing small crimes sends a message we’re serious about creating safe cities.
Yup, the small stuff matters. In basic training, even a thread hanging from a button got the attention of our drill instructor. They emphasized that level of detail in our appearance so we would be equally as conscientious with our jobs.
Nobody’s going to get a medal for it, but fixing those “broken windows” sure would make life a lot smoother and safer for the rest of us, wouldn’t it?