NCJ Number
142905
Date Published
1992
Length
13 pages
Annotation
Recent trends in the numbers of offenders committed to prisons in New York State for auto theft are summarized.
Abstract
In 1991, 185 persons were committed for grand larceny (auto) and the two related offenses of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and automobile stripping. The number of these commitments to the Department of Correctional Services has been increasing for three consecutive years. The 159 grand larceny (auto) cases are the highest number since 1964. In addition, 23 persons were committed for unauthorized use and three for automobile stripping. In addition, a substantial number of auto thefts were prosecuted as stolen property cases involving automobiles. For example, a review of a random sample of 74 new felony commitments in 1991 for stolen property revealed that 48 (65 percent) involved stolen vehicles. Overall, auto theft commitments increased from 119 in 1981 to an estimated 599 in 1991. Nevertheless, commitments for auto theft represented only 2.5 percent of all commitments during 1991. Tables