Regardless of the fact that no serious criminal activity transpired in most cases, it detracted from the quality of life of some residents of buildings immediately adjacent to such congregations (Conlon, 2004).
In other situations, such as peaceful gatherings of small groups of students outside bars every weekend night, residents of buildings overlooking the bars were subjected to loud conversations, cigarette smoke, music from vehicles until well after typical closing times of 4:00AM every weekend night, at a minimum. Giuliani's zero-tolerance approach to "unlawful assembly" of the type previously and ordinarily ignored as a technical violation not worth enforcing prohibited these gatherings for the benefit of residents who wished not to be disturbed all night long three or four nights a week in many "trendy" neighborhoods. Furthermore, the broken windows analogy also applied to those situations, by virtue of the frequency with which altercations and brawls break out in conjunction with alcohol and large gatherings.
Admittedly, the zero-tolerance approach to minor violations under the Giuliani administration sometimes seemed to go too far without any apparent purpose. For example, one of the previously ignored violations enforced concerned occupying more than one seat on public transportation. Of course, that rule serves a valid purpose in the case of inconsiderate subway or bus riders who occupy a second seat with their...
However, zero tolerance required police to issue summonses even where a passenger used a second seat for a pocketbook or computer case on a virtually empty bus or train car.
Post-Giuliani Enforcement of Minor Violations:
Undoubtedly, the initial implementation of zero tolerance of quality-of-life violations under Giuliani achieved its objectives, but at a price that many citizens considered oppressive and in a manner that many police officers felt eliminated their authorized exercise of discretion (Conlon, 2004). Under the subsequent administration of Mayor Mike Bloomberg, police administrators have continued to encourage enforcement action on minor violations, but as a tactical tool when necessary to address specific situations rather than on a mandatory basis that eliminates the exercise of discretion by police. Nevertheless, the quality-of-life focus introduced by the Giuliani administration is widely regarded as a successful program that achieved its major objectives (Conlon, 2004).
Bibliography
Conlon, E. (2004) Blue Blood. Riverhead, NY: Bantam
Nolan, J., Conti, N, McDevitt, J. Situational Policing. Federal Bureau of Investigation Law Enforcement Bulletin. Vol. 74 No. 11 (Nov/05).
Schmalleger, F. (2001) Criminal Justice Today: An Introductory Text for the 21st Century. New Jersey: Prentice Hall
