In the midst of the last crime wave in the 1990s, many jurisdictions adopted the “broken windows” approach to crime reduction, recognizing that turning a blind eye to crime invited more crime. Rather than ignore graffiti, vagrancy, vandalism, and theft, law enforcement sought to punish these crimes.

Not only did this response make neighborhoods safer. It sent a clear message that perpetrators of crime, even “victimless crimes,” would face punishment. The result was an overall reduction in crime, including violent crime. It is time to readopt this approach, and we can start by tackling organized retail theft.