Broken Windows + Pink Tickets is an installation created in March 2018 using criminal court summonses data. It explores geographic patterns of broken windows policing* in New York City. In the installation, parachute cords represent violations in NYC's 78 police precincts. The colors map to the different violations, which include a wide range of infractions (trespassing, spitting in public, and having an unleashed dog are just a few). The length of the cord correlates to the number of summonses issued in that precinct. The cords are bundled by their precinct number and hang in a pattern that reflects their geography, with a map of the precincts on the floor. Visitors are encouraged to walk through the installation to traverse the city and immerse themselves in the information. Where there are a great number of summonses, the strings will reach the floor; where there are fewer, the strings will hang above the visitors’ heads.


*The concept behind the broken windows theory is that maintaining an orderly urban environment and cracking down on low-level crime will deter the advent of more serious crime.

This project was created as part of the Data Through Design exhibition held at the Made in NY Media Center by IFP, organized by Carto, Enigma, and Pratt SAVI.