Comparing the crime reports between 2019 and 2023 one sees a significant increase in the number of aggravated assaults from 130 to 278, robbery – 354 to 381, and especially vehicle theft – 25 to 350 (Metro Transit Police Bus -Rail -Parking Lot -Metro Facilities -Others Five Year Crime Report, 2019). Clearly the crime rates are trending in the wrong direction. I skipped the years 2020 through 2022 since due to covid-19 pandemic fewer people were using the metro system during that time.
At the same time the DC council is planning to decriminalize low level offenses such as fare evasion (Why Skipping DC Metro Fares Might Ultimately Be Okay, Even after the Mayor Said No, 2019). The proponents of the measure point out that the majority of those cited are black and therefore enforcement is a form of racial discrimination.
As infrequently as I use the DC metro, I have seen people jumping over the fare gates. A WUSA9 reporter observed as many as 10 “turnstile jumpers” over a 20-minute time frame. Does a small thing like fare evasion even warrant so much attention? There is a hypothesis called “broken windows theory” which claims that low level law breaking creates an image of lawlessness which brings about heavier crime increases (Psychology Today, 2022). Judging by the increases of robberies and assaults in the metro system there is at least a correlation with the even-increasing popularity of fare evasion.
Turnstile jumping happens about 40,000 times a day (Suriko & Byington, 2023). Even without bringing up the more serious crimes it costs WMATA $40 million dollar year. Considering that the metro system has a $185 million budget shortfall this is not something WMATA can simply ignore. While it may seem a victimless crime the jumpers create an impression that the law following is optional. And once the law is optional what we have is lawlessness. One may consider this a form of deviancy training. Jumping the turnstile may lead to a jump in assaults and robberies.
References
Metro Transit Police Bus -Rail -Parking Lot -Metro Facilities -Others Five Year Crime Report. (2019). https://wmata.com/about/transit-police/upload/Five-Year-Crime-Report.pdf
Why skipping DC Metro fares might ultimately be okay, even after the Mayor said no. (2019, January 17). Wusa9.com. https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/why-skipping-dc-metro-fares-might-ultimately-be-okay-even-after-the-mayor-said-no/65-87bf3022-0ba3-4f24-90e7-47781a395395
Psychology Today. (2022). Broken Windows Theory. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/broken-windows-theory
Suriko, J., & Byington, L. (2023, April 19). Transit Systems in NYC and DC Crack Down on Turnstile Jumpers. News.bloomberglaw.com; Bloomberg L.P. https://news.bloomberglaw.com/social-justice/transit-systems-in-nyc-and-dc-crack-down-on-turnstile-jumpers