1. Property Crimes
“…the true measure of crime is – namely, the harm done to society” - C. Beccaria

2. Introduction Public interest vs. volume “conventional” crimes
Approx. 60%
Personal injury vs. personal violations
“conventional” crimes
Break and Enter:
Ss … intent of stealing something
NO threat of force and no face-to-face

3. Break and Enter vs. Burglary Target…
Residences
Businesses
Urban over rural
Semi-detached over single dwellings
Rented vs. owner-occupied
Items at risk…
audio-/video
jewelry

4. Crimes of opportunity and rational choice
Home invasion vs. break and enter
Clearance rates 15%!
Crime prevention vs. crime displacement
‘seriousness’ vs. social cost (e.g., insurance)
Police ability to resolve vs. ‘fortification’

5. Property vs. white-collar crime or organized crime Credit cards!
Fraud: Ss
Theft through…
Deception, falsehood, or cheating
Property vs. white-collar crime or organized crime
Credit cards!
Role of neutralization
Value economic success vs. crime control
? Role of target hardening

6. “over” and “under” theft ’95 change from $1 to $5,000
14 sections C.C.
Cattle to theft by spouse
“over” and “under” theft
’95 change from $1 to $5,000
Shoplifting to household articles to inventory shrinkage and vehicle theft
WHY?
Boredom, thrills, to routine activity theory
Target hardening limited success

7. Arson: Ss
NOT a true property but involves destruction of property
Relatively rare but economically telling
Males vs. females
Fraud to thrills to revenge to ‘disturbed’ (see Table 10-4)

8. ‘fire for profit’ vs. accidental
Motivation varied
! A career in arson investigation
Motor Vehicle Crimes:
A North American obsession
S. 335 “vessels without consent” (s. 214)
Theft…. A $1.6B concern
Geographic variation
Model variation
Males 12-17… “joyriding”
Response typically informal!

9. Role of the automotive industry
WHY?
Symbolism
Peer influence
Mere opportunity
Profit
Role of the automotive industry
The Club
Keyless entry
GIS, etc.
Security vs. motivation underlying MTV
Integrated and interdisciplinary

10. SUMMARY Property crime and economic crimes Youth and amateurs
Relative nature – arson & theft
Prevention…. Target hardening
Explanation dominated by sociological perspectives, but…
Social, environmental, political, and individual factors - interdisciplinary
Role of comparative research

11. Cheers…