Assignment 2

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Crimes Against Property

Criminology Today

An Integrated Introduction

CHAPTER

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Burglary

UCR definition

The unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft

Residential burglaries do not involve direct confrontation but can cause fear with lasting effects.

Commercial burglaries can affect the continued viability of the business.

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

The Social Ecology of Burglary

Lifestyle and routine activities theories emphasize how criminal opportunity is affected by victims' and offenders' everyday activities/environments.

The structure of social life affects how easy it to carry out one’s inclination to offend.

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

A Typology of Burglars

Low-level burglars (mainly juveniles)

Work with others, easily deterred, limited rewards, often desist with age

Middle-range burglars

Older, vacillate between crime and legitimate activities, less easily deterred

continued on next slide

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

A Typology of Burglars

High-level burglars

Professionals, work in organized crews, earn a good living from burglary

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

The Locales and Times of Burglary

Nighttime residential and daytime commercial burglary are considered the most serious.

Burglary is a "cold crime" because there usually is little physical evidence to link the offender to the crime.

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

The Motivation of Burglars

Most prevalent rationale for residential burglary is need for fast cash.

Why offenders choose burglary

Burglary is familiar, the "main line."

It is less risky than other offenses.

The offender may not own the necessary equipment for robbery.

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Target Selection for Burglary

Commercial burglaries

Suitability

Retail establishments preferred over other types (e.g., wholesale or service businesses)

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Target Selection for Burglary

Residential burglaries

Key factors include knowledge of occupants, tips, observation of potential target.

Other factors include signs of occupancy, security devices, dogs, access to area.

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

The Costs of Burglary

Most household burglaries involve economic loss.

Stolen property/money

Time lost from work

Property crimes like burglary have a greater effect on the decision to move than violent crimes.

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

The Burglary-Drug Connection

Increased demand for crack cocaine in the 1980s affected crime rates.

Burglary decreased, robbery increased

Crack trade created preference for cash-intensive crimes (robbery) over burglary.

Crime shift consistent with view that property offenders tend to be generalists.

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

The Sexualized Context of Burglary

Some burglaries have associated sexual dynamics (fetishists, voyeurists).

Some sexually motivated homicides begin as burglaries.

Can be explained from the perspective of opportunity theory

Home-intrusion rape

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Larceny-Theft

The unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property from the possession, or constructive possession, of another

Most frequently occurring property crime

Does not involve force or other means of illegal entry

A crime of opportunity

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Shoplifting and Employee Theft

Retail theft includes shoplifting and theft by store employees.

Most are short-term workers.

Internal theft more serious than loss due to shoplifting

Technology is one of the best ways to address both types of theft.

Shoplifting crosses class lines, not committed primarily by women.

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Who Shoplifts?

Juveniles overrepresented as shoplifters

More serious, chronic forms found among economically disadvantaged

Majority of juveniles admit to shoplifting at some point in their lifetime.

Maturing out pattern

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Flash Mobs and Larceny

Flash mobs

Purposeful crowds brought together at a moment's notice through use of social media web sites

Some involve organized criminal activity

Larcenies committed by flash mobs are considered multiple-offender crimes.

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Identity Theft

Unauthorized use of another's personal information to commit fraud

Main categories

Existing account fraud

Thieves obtain information on open accounts.

New account fraud

Thieves use personal information to open new accounts in the victim's name.

continued on next slide

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Identity Theft

Costs of identity theft

Direct losses to victims

Indirect costs to businesses for fraud prevention and harm mitigation

Indirect costs to victims

Civil litigation, obstacles in obtaining or retaining credit

Consumers' fears of victimization can harm the digital economy.

continued on next slide

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Identity Theft

1998 Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act

Made identity theft a federal crime

2004 Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act

Increased federal prison sentences for various types of identity theft

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

The Incidence of Identity Theft

BJS definition of identity theft includes:

Unauthorized use/attempted use of existing credit cards

Unauthorized use/attempted use of other existing accounts

Misuse of personal information to obtain new accounts or loans, or to commit other crimes

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Identity Thieves: Who They Are

Hard to classify identity thieves

Often have no prior criminal background, sometimes have preexisting relationship with victim

Increased involvement of foreign organized criminal groups in computer- or Internet-related schemes

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Motor Vehicle Theft

UCR definition

The theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle

Automobiles are the most commonly-stolen type of vehicle.

Car theft violates victim beyond financial loss.

continued on next slide

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Motor Vehicle Theft

Largest percentage of vehicles stolen from parking lot or garage

Most motor vehicle thefts reported to police

Motivations include:

Joyriding

Temporary transportation needs

Use in a crime

Stripping

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Theft of Car Parts

Motivations

Car parts may be worth a lot.

Can be sold easily

Harder to identify than entire cars

1984 Motor Vehicle Theft Law Enforcement Act called for marking of cars' major sheet metal parts with VINs

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Joyriders: Car Theft for Fun

Opportunistic car theft committed for fun or thrills, usually by groups of teens

Expressive act with little or no extrinsic value

Most vehicles stolen by joyriders are recovered, usually found abandoned, often after having been crashed.

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Professional Car Theft

Less common as thefts for other uses

Professional auto thieves work in groups characterized by planning and calculation in target selection.

Professional thefts have lowest recover rates.

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Arson

UCR definition

The willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, of a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another, etc.

Majority of arrestees white males

Motives vary from profit to thrill seeking.

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Fire Setters

Majority of those involved in arson are juveniles.

Almost half of all cleared arsons involve a juvenile offender.

Juveniles overrepresented in both residential and commercial arson

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Groups of Juvenile Fire Setters

Children under 7

Start fires accidentally or out of curiosity

Children between 8–12

Fire setting represents underlying psychosocial conflict

Children between 13–18

Have history of fire setting, usually undetected

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Persistent and Professional Thieves

Professional criminal

Offender who makes a living from crime, is recognized by other offenders as a professional, engages in planned and calculated offending

Persistent thief

Offender who continues in common law property crimes despite no better than an ordinary level of success

continued on next slide

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Persistent and Professional Thieves

Offense specialization

Preference for a certain type of offense

Limited among property offenders

Cafeteria-style offending

Heterogeneous and unplanned nature of offending among gang members

Occasional offender

Offender whose offending patterns are guided primarily by opportunity

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

The Criminal Careers of Property Offenders

Phases of criminal career in property crime

Break-in period

Stable period

Burnout phase

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Property Offenders and Rational Choice

Rationality

Activities identified by their impersonal, methodological, efficient, and logical components

Burglars employ a "limited, temporal rationality."

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Receivers of Stolen Property

Basic elements

Buying and receiving

Stolen property

Knowing it to be stolen

Fence is least common method for most thieves to dispose of stolen goods.

Most common method used by professional burglars

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

The Role of Criminal Receivers

Professional receiver

Regularly buys stolen goods for resale

May be generalist or specialist

Avocational receiver

Part-time, fencing is secondary to but associated with primary business.

Amateur receiver

Otherwise honest person who buys stolen property on relatively small scale

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8e

Frank Schmalleger

Assignment 2

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