NCJ Number
53527
Date Published
1979
Length
38 pages
Annotation
Based on data from the National Crime Survey, this report provides information on the nature and incidence of household burglary, its victims, and the offenders. This crime is one of the most poorly reported property crimes.
Abstract
Of the 6.7 million residential burglaries that occurred in 1974, 44 percent were accomplished without the use of force. Unlawful entries without force are crimes of opportunity in which victims, very often through their own negligence in securing dwellings or other residential structures, provide offenders with the chance to carry out burglaries with relative ease. The study concludes, among other things, that (1) some population groups appear to be more vulnerable than others, (2) entrance into a structure, whether in the day or at night, usually occurs through an unlocked door or window while residents are away, and (3) although the average economic loss is small, the total cost to the nation in stolen goods is great--more than $400 million in 1975 alone. This study is nontechnical in nature and is intended for use by the general public and the criminal justice community. Tables and graphs accompany the text, and appendixes provide information on the sample and subsample. A glossary is also furnished. (Author abstract modified--DAG)