How Community Collaboration Upholds the Broken Windows Theory

The Broken Windows Theory is a well-known concept advocated by James Q. Wilson and George Kelling in 1982. It posits that visible signs of disorder and misbehavior, such as broken windows in the environment, have an adverse impact on people's minds and attitudes, leading to an increase in crime rates. To break free from this detrimental cycle, one of the most effective countermeasures is to continually clean up the environment with the cooperation of as many citizens as possible. This ongoing effort yields positive mental effects, such as refining the mind and uplifting the spirit. In Japan, there is a saying, 'Keeping it clean makes it less likely to get dirty,' highlighting the importance of maintaining cleanliness to prevent further deterioration."

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