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Keeping Your Workplace Safe with the Broken Window Theory

The Broken Window Theory, made famous by Rudy Giuliani in his book Leadership, theorizes that maintaining and monitoring urban environments in a well-ordered condition may stop further vandalism and escalation into more serious crime. It was developed by Social Scientists James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling and was first employed in the New York Transit System when crime was rampant in the system with routine muggings, robberies and assaults. In order to gain control of the system, MTA officers aggressively pursued all criminal activities starting with fare jumpers and taggers who were arrested and fully prosecuted. MTA officials learned that many of those arrested for minor infractions had outstanding warrants for their arrests and many were armed. By arresting those individuals for minor crimes and removing them from the Transit System, they could not commit other more serious crimes. When the theory was applied by the NYPD during the 1990’s dramatic results were seen over a four-year period of time with homicides dropping by 70%, robberies by 55%, burglaries by 53% and auto thefts by 61%.  With bad guys removed from society through incarceration, they were no longer able to commit crime and the community was safer.

The Broken Window Theory and workplace violence

By applying the Broken Window Theory to workplace violence we can achieve similar dramatic result and a vastly safer work environment. Violence in the workplace seldom occurs without notice. More often, an employee prone to violence exhibits behavior that offers a clue to developing problems. We call them pre-incident indicators. In the vast majority of cases, violence follows a continuum of behavior: Discourteous behavior can evolve into disrespectful and intimidating behavior, which least to harassment and bullying, retaliation, verbal assault, and finally physical aggression.

How it applies

In applying the Broken Window Theory, we intervene early when behavior is only discourteous behavior. Operations supervisors should counsel the rude employee on the unacceptable behavior, demonstrate appropriate behavior and then document the incident. If the rude employee escalates to disrespectful behavior, Human Resources should become involved; again counseling the employee and demonstrating appropriate behavior. If improper behavior persists, your fully developed file of documented counseling sessions should provide sufficient evidence necessary to support termination at the point behavior escalates to harassment or preferably before it goes that far.

By dealing with improper behavior when it is simply annoying and improper you have given the employee well documented opportunities to eliminate the bad behavior. If the behavior does not improve, you remove the employee from the workplace and he is no longer available to behave badly and potentially escalate to violent workplace behavior. By applying the Broken Window Theory your workplace will be safer for all employees.

Warm regards,

 

Kathy Leodler Chief Executive Officer Email:kathy.l@rampartgroup.com Phone: (360) 981-2703 PI License #3555

Paul Leodler Executive Vice President Email:paul.l@rampartgroup.com Phone: (360) 981-3397 PI License #4180

We at Rampart Group are committed to your security. Call 1-800 421-0614 or contact us today with your security or investigative needs.