NCJ Number
57531
Date Published
Unknown
Length
24 pages
Annotation
A BAYONNE, N.J., POLICE STUDY BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1977, AND MARCH 31, 1979, SHOWS THERE ARE MORE RESIDENTIAL THAN NON-RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES. BAYONNE BURGLARY PATTERNS ARE COMPARED TO OTHER AREAS.
Abstract
THIS STUDY EXAMINES BURGLARY IN TERMS OF LOSS VALUE, PLACE OF OCCURRENCE, TEMPORAL PATTERNS (THE DAY OF THE WEEK AND SEASON), TIME OF OCCURRENCE, AND METHOD OF ENTRY. A REVIEW OF EARLIER STUDIES OF BURGLARY PATTERNS IN OTHER COMMUNITIES IS PROVIDED. BAYONNE PATTERNS ARE THEN COMPARED TO THESE FINDINGS. BAYONNE IS A CITY OF APPROXIMATELY 80,000 WITH THE MAJORITY OF POLISH OR SLAVIC DESCENT. EFFECTIVE POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS ARE DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE WITH THESE COMMUNITIES SINCE THEY TEND TO DISTRUST POLICE. THE FINDING THAT MOST BURGLARIES INVOLVED MODERATE LOSSES OF BETWEEN $200 AND $499 REFLECTS EARLIER STUDIES OF THE WASHINGTON, D.C., METROPOLITAN AREA, THE CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG COUNTY AREA OF NORTH CAROLINA, AND SANTA CLARA, CALIF. THE FACT THAT 10 PERCENT OF ALL BURGLARIES IN BAYONNE INVOLVED LOSSES OF $1,000 OR MORE IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO INSURANCE POLICIES WHICH PAY ONLY 20 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR. THE FINDING THAT MOST BURGLARIES IN BAYONNE OCCUR IN WINTER CONTRADICTS EARLIER STUDIES ELSEWHERE WHICH SHOW BURGLARIES TAKING PLACE MORE OFTEN IN SUMMER. THE MAJORITY OF RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES OCCURRED DURING THE WEEK AND IN THE DAYTIME, WHILE NON-RESIDENTIAL ONES WERE MOST LIKELY TO HAPPEN ON WEEKENDS AND AT NIGHT. ENTRY WAS MADE BY DOOR IN 51.2 PERCENT OF ALL BURGLARIES, 30.8 PERCENT BY WINDOW, AND 9.1 PERCENT BY UNDETERMINED MEANS. IN 80.8 PERCENT OF ALL BURGLARIES A DEGREE OF FORCE WAS USED. A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF BURGLARIES, BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND NON-RESIDENTIAL, MIGHT BE PREVENTED IF RESIDENCES WERE STRUCTURALLY FORTIFIED TO DENY EASY ACCESS, AND MADE TO APPEAR OCCUPIED AT ALL TIMES. STATISTICAL TABLES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KCP).