NCJ Number
61470
Date Published
1975
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THE 1975 ANNUAL SURVEY BY A PRIVATE INVESTIGATIVE COMPANY SHOWS MALE JUVENILES UNDER 13 ARE MOST LIKELY TO STEAL DURING AFTER SCHOOL HOURS.
Abstract
THE SURVEY BASED ON 23,258 APPREHENSIONS DURING 1975, DRAWN FROM PARTICIPATING SUPERMARKETS, DRUG STORES, AND DISCOUNT STORES PROFILES ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES, AND SHOWS THE DISTRIBUTION ACCORDING TO TIME OF DAY, WEEK AND MONTH, AND METHODS OF CONCEALMENT. JUVENILES (UNDER 18) ACCOUNT FOR 52 PERCENT OF THE DRUG STORE APPREHENSIONS AND 40 PERCENT IN SUPERMARKETS, WITH THE HIGHEST RATE OCCURRING DURING AFTER SCHOOL HOURS FROM 3 TO 6 P.M. IN 80 PERCENT OF THE CASES, THE VALUE OF THE MERCHANDISE BEING STOLEN WAS LESS THAN $6.00, WITH GREATEST VALUE STOLEN BEING TAKEN BY ADULTS IN DISCOUNT STORES. OF THE NUMBER OF APPREHENSIONS, ONLY THE WORST ARE TURNED OVER TO THE POLICE. ONLY 37.3 PERCENT OF ADULTS AND 24.1 PERCENT OF JUVENILES WERE PROSECUTED. THE NUMBER OF ITEMS TAKEN MAY DETERMINE WHETHER A SHOPLIFTER HAS ACTED ON IMPULSE, IS A REPEATER, OR HAS A PLAN. SUCH A DETERMINATION MAY AFFECT WHETHER THE DRUG STORE, SUPERMARKET, OR DISCOUNT STORE WISHES TO PROSECUTE. BECAUSE OF THE LARGE VOLUME OF MERCHANDISE STOLEN, EVEN THEFT INVOLVING A FEW DOLLARS MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. GRAPHS ILLUSTRATE THE MATERIAL. (RFC)