BURGLARY - THE VICTIM AND THE PUBLIC

• NCJ Number: 53864
• Author(s): I WALLER; N OKIHIRO
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 202 pages
• Corporate Author: University of Toronto Press
• Sale Source: University of Toronto Press
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE REALITIES OF THE BURGLARY EXPERIENCE ARE EXAMINED, WITH A VIEW TO PREVENTION AND IMPROVING THE WAY SOCIETY REACTS, IN THIS ANALYSIS BASED ON PERSONAL INTERVIEWS IN SOME 1,600 TORONTO, CANADA, HOUSEHOLDS.

Abstract

INTERVIEWS WERE ALSO HELD WITH CONVICTED BURGLARS TO EXAMINE HOW THEY CHOSE PARTICULAR RESIDENTIAL TARGETS, WHY THEY BROKE IN, AND WHAT TYPE OF GOODS THEY SOUGHT. IN ALL, THREE MAJOR QUESTIONS WERE ADDRESSED--HOW OFTEN, WHERE, AND IN WHAT MANNER DO RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES OCCUR IN METROPOLITAN TORONTO--TO DETERMINE THE REACTIONS AND LOSSES OF VICTIMS, THE PUBLIC EXPERIENCE WITH THE JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND THE PUBLIC'S ATTITUDE ON CRIME AND PUNISHMENT. THE DATA INDICATE THAT RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY IS TYPICALLY A MINOR OFFENSE, COMMITTED BY AN AMATEUR, AND INVOLVING RELATIVELY SMALL PROPERTY LOSS, WITH RARELY A THREAT OR ACTUAL HARM. FURTHER, OF THE 3 RESIDENCES IN EVERY 100 THAT ARE BURGLARIZED, MORE THAN 1 OF 3 WILL GO UNREPORTED TO THE POLICE. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT MORE THAN 10 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION ADMITS TO COMMITTING BURGLARY, THAT RESIDENCES ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE BURGLARIZED IN AREAS WHERE THERE ARE PROPORTIONATELY MORE YOUNG UNMARRIED MALES AND WHERE AFFLUENT PERSONS ARE LIVING NEAR THE POOR, AND THAT BURGLARY IS MORE LIKELY IF A RESIDENCE IS LEFT UNATTENDED DURING THE WORKING WEEK AND IF ENTRANCES ARE NOT EASILY VISIBLE TO NEIGHBORS. NOTING THE DEMONSTRATED FEAR OF CRIME AMONG THE RESPONDENTS, IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE IMPORTANT SOURCES OF WORRY ABOUT CRIME ARE MEDIA COVERAGE, LACK OF ADEQUATE REINSTATEMENT OF LOSS, POLICE EFFORTS TO GET THE PUBLIC TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS, AND THE GROUPING OF ALL EVENTS, WHETHER MINOR OR MAJOR, UNDER THE SINGLE RUBRIC OF CRIME. GREATER DECRIMINALIZATION OF NONVIOLENT CRIMES, MANDATORY SECURITY IN APARTMENT BUILDINGS, AND COMPENSATION TO VICTIMS THROUGH STATE-SUBSIDIZED INSURANCE ARE RECOMMENDED. THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT IS APPENDED. TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA ARE PROVIDED, ALONG WITH A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND AN INDEX. (KBL)