Naomi Schaefer Riley suggests bringing back 'broken window' policy in schools during 'Fox and Friends' appearance

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute Naomi Schaefer Riley told 'Fox & Friends' that 'broken windows policing' should be introduced in schools to fight back against a surge in on-campus violence in the United States.

The comments came in light of three stabbing incidents that took place in three different schools in New York in three days.

The last act amongst them took place earlier in December when the NYPD responded to a Bronx charter school to discover a 15-year-old boy being sliced in the face by a classmate during a fight.

What is 'broken windows policing'?

During the 1990's the New York City Police Department was ordered to address any semblance of criminal activity to help improve the quality of life for residents. The activities in question could have been the likes of smashing a window, public drinking, disorderly behavior, or panhandling.

The policy has long been at the center of a fierce debate. The proponents have argued that it helps identify criminals before they commit a more serious offense, while opponents have stated that it can lead to unnecessary police interactions. 

Naomi Riley highlighted lost sight of basic decency

"A lot of schools really, especially during COVID, they were not only locked down, but even after they came back, we started not worrying about attendance. We started not worrying about small behavioral infractions. We started not worrying about grades. We started not worrying about dress codes," continued the disciplinarian.

"All of these things, I think, really combine to create an atmosphere where larger kinds of behaviors are really being tolerated more and more. And students are getting the message that nobody really cares about what the atmosphere in the school is."

Naomi Riley wants 'broken windows' strategy to be adopted from elementary school

Talking of the long-term impact of the policy on students' behavior, Riley stated, "We need to start paying attention to attendance. We need to start paying attention to the dress code. We need to start paying attention to whether kids are disruptive in class."

"Once we start sort of saying, look, we're not going to tolerate these small things … especially when you do this in the younger grades. … It will have a long-term impact on the way they think about school and the environment there," she continued.

Riley also highlighted the role of school resource officers during her time on the show, saying, "The idea that in the name of some kind of restorative justice, we would remove these people, who are the only ones holding the line against this sort of violence, is crazy."