NCJ Number
209023
Journal
European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research Volume: 10 Issue: 2-3 Dated: 2004 Pages: 163-186
Date Published
2004
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This study analyzed trends in police recorded crime rates for 9 offenses (intentional homicide, assault, rape, robbery, theft, vehicle theft, burglary, domestic burglary, and drug offenses) for the period 1990-2000 in 16 Western European countries.
Abstract
Data provided by police agencies from the various countries were obtained from the first and second editions of the European Sourcebook of Crime and Criminal Justice Statistics. The findings show an increase in drug and violent offenses for 1990-2000, while property offenses peaked at the beginning of the 1990's and then declined. This pattern for property offenses reflects the emergence of a large black market for stolen goods in Central and Eastern Europe at the beginning of the period. By the end of the period, the market was saturated and police and security measures had improved. The increase in drug-related offenses mirrored an increase in drug use in Europe as shown by other indicators. This trend can be traced to the increased availability of drugs in European markets. The upward trend in violent offenses was due partially to gang conflicts regarding the control of illegal markets and by the consolidation of criminogenic neighborhoods. The recorded increase may have also been partly due to the increased reporting of violent crimes to police and improved police recordkeeping. The study concludes that opportunity-based crime theories provide a reasonable explanation for the observed trends in recorded crime. Crime opportunities, in turn, have been strongly influenced by socioeconomic factors. 3 figures, 2 tables, and 55 references