Break and Enter Offences in South Australia - A Police Perspective (From Burglary - A Social Reality, P 41-66, 1985, Satyanshu K Mukherjee and Leona Jorgensen, eds. - See NCJ-102649)

• NCJ Number: 102652
• Author(s): F A Richardson; A French
• Date Published: 1986
• Length: 26 pages
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

This paper reviews police break and enter statistics for South Australia (1973-1974 through 1983-1984) -- including data on offenses, offenders, and clearance rates -- and describes police-sponsored community crime prevention programs undertaken in South Australia.

Abstract

From 1973-1974 to 1983-1984, the number of reported break and enter offenses committed against residences rose by 128 percent, and those committed against shops rose by 54 percent. A nationwide 1983 victimization survey indicates that approximately 31 percent of the break and enter offenses involving residences were not reported to the police. The clearance rate for break and enter offenses has been static. Break and enter offenses for which offenders have been apprehended have mostly been committed by male juveniles entering premises through unlocked doors and windows. Police efforts to prevent such offenses have consisted of decentralized sector policing and police crime prevention campaigns. Neither of these efforts has been successful in countering break and enter offenses. The South Australian Police Department has recently reorganized to focus on the development of community crime prevention programs. The two programs receiving current emphasis are neighborhood watch and a schools intervention program designed to prevent juvenile crimes. The effectiveness of these programs has yet to be determined. 10 data tables and an appendix containing definitions of break and enter offenses in South Australia.