Best Place Real Estate

Lake Forest consistently ranks as one of the safest cities in America. According to a survey done by CQ Press City Crime Rankings, Lake Forest is the 8th safest city for cities with populations of 75,000 to 99,999 and 10th safest city overall.

At the time I saw this article in the city’s newsletter, I was reading The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. If you have not read The Tipping Point, I highly recommend it. In one chapter, Gladwell discusses the “Broken Windows” theory and the sudden drop in crime in New York City that occurred in the 1990’s. In essence, the theory is that if a city does not address seemingly minor problems, such as graffiti, panhandling, and buildings with broken windows, it is giving the impression that no one really cares and that no one is in charge. A city that can’t control minor crimes may give criminals the idea that they have less of a chance of getting caught in that city for more serious crimes. While it seems that concentrating on serious violent crimes is more important, getting control over minor crimes can be the “tipping point” for controlling a city’s crime overall.

It is this theory that is credited for significantly reducing crime in New York City. In about 1994, New York City started to really crack down on minor crimes and the overall crime rate dropped dramatically. (For a more in depth explanation, refer to The Tipping Point.)

As I read the article in The Leaflet, I couldn’t help but think that part of the reason that Lake Forest is consistently one of the safest cities is because our city is clean and well-maintained. In addition, minor crimes such as graffiti are not tolerated. While I can not say that we have no graffiti, I can say that when it occurs, it is removed promptly. (Graffiti Hotline)

Lake Forest never had the severe crime rate that New York once had and I’m not comparing New York and Lake Forest. They are like apples and oranges (excuse the pun) in many ways. But after reading The Tipping Point I think the “Broken Window” theory has merit.