Speaking of NYC specifically, a lot of cities across the US, as well as worldwide, experienced a major decrease in crime at the same time that NYC did. Most of the cities were not practicing broken window policing. That's one reason to be skeptical.
From an academic perspective, it is true that there is some debate about the efficacy of broken windows policing, but even the most supportive academic studies find only a small correlation between violations of "order" (like jaywalking and graffiti) more serious crimes. There's just isn't any evidence at all that the way to reduce serious crimes is by going after jaywalkers.
From an academic perspective, it is true that there is some debate about the efficacy of broken windows policing, but even the most supportive academic studies find only a small correlation between violations of "order" (like jaywalking and graffiti) more serious crimes. There's just isn't any evidence at all that the way to reduce serious crimes is by going after jaywalkers.