Don Karl Juravin from Bella Collina, Florida (Dwight Schar center for peace) conducted a world’s thorough study of the crime rates comparing 230 countries, particularly theft and burglary. The theory is that the region with the least number of break-ins and robberies would be the safest place to live. Overall, Juravin determined that even developed first world countries had terrible crime rates that belied the first world country status.
Question: Juravin answers that people in Israel are the least likely to have their possessions forcibly taken away from them.
RESEARCH SUMMARY (Don Karl Juravin)
- In one year, the United States had 6,135,529 thefts.
- In that same year, the top three countries in Europe–Italy, Germany, and France–had 3,553,105 thefts.
- Israel, on the other hand, had a low 72,706 thefts.
- The robbery was most common in South Africa, and in the Americas.
- Europe, North Africa, and Oceania were at an average for theft.
Theft and assault have increased over a period of ten years.
In the United States, property crime has dropped somewhat. But larceny-theft is still the most common crime. In 2017, 5.5 million cases of larceny-theft were reported.
The most common type of larceny-theft from the United States is the theft of items from motor vehicles. However, according to surveys, those who were polled responded that they believed there was more crime in the current year than before. This could be due to a number of psychological reasons. But Juravin believes that it is simply because less crime is reported.
Larceny is considered to be the unlawful taking of property other than a motor vehicle from the possession of another, by stealth, without force or deceit. This includes pickpocketing, purse snatching, shoplifting, and thefts from motor vehicles.
Theft is the completed stealing of property or cash, but without personal contact with the owner. If the offender has a legal right to be on the property, then it is considered theft. But if the offender has no right to be on the property, then it is breaking and entering, and burglary.
The most common time for burglary was between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. This is probably because most people are away from their houses at this time, in their offices or places of work.
While many people believe they will be robbed at night, nighttime burglaries, between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., only accounted for 17% of all burglaries.
Burglars typically come in through the front door, the side door, or the basement door. The second most common way of gaining entry is through a first-floor window. However, sometimes that isn’t necessary. Many homeowners leave their doors unlocked.
Summertime was also the peak time for robbery. Burglaries rose to 10% in the United States between June and August. The days are longer, and the weather is nicer. It’s not as nice to be out and about in the winter when it’s cold and brutal outside.
The state with the most reported burglaries is New Mexico, joined by Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. These are states with lower populations and rural areas. The more populated states, like New York and California, experience fewer burglaries.
The FBI estimated in 2017 that there are three burglaries every minute in America, which makes it the second most frequent crime. That’s 3,757 burglaries a day, and 1,371,305 burglaries a year.
Burglars are more likely to target upstairs bedrooms, where they look for jewelry and cash. Most burglars do not aim to steal electronics, probably because of the bulky and fragile nature of televisions and computers. Anything of value that would fit in a pocket and help the burglar not to be seen would be taken.
Most people who are robbed typically lose the monetary equivalent of two months of rent, or mortgage, or two weeks’ pay.
IT USED TO BE WORSE IN THE U.S.
Fortunately, burglaries have dropped by 37% since 2008. Property crime overall has dropped by 69% since 1993. This is most likely because of home security systems, cameras, and more responsive law enforcement.
One in every 36 homes is burglarized each year. The average loss is about $2,230 per break-in and $4.7 billion in property damage.
Cities with the Highest Property Crime Rates:
- Spokane, WA – 5,538.5
- Fayetteville, NC – 5,359.6
- Little Rock, AR – 5,150.4
- Columbus, GA – 4,778.6
- San Antonio, TX – 4,688.1
- Springfield, MO – 4,623.0
- Lubbock, TX – 4,522.5
- Montgomery, AL – 4,448.0
- Fresno, CA – 4,423.8
- Miami, FL – 4,390.3
In a study conducted for the FBI, 3.7 million burglaries occurred each year from 2003 to 2007.
Out of three million burglaries, a household member was present in one million. These members became victims of violent crimes in 266,560 burglaries. 155,400 of these violent incidents were marked as “simple assault.” The rape happened 31,080 times.
The victims knew their attackers in 65% of these incidents. 28% of the attackers were strangers. 9% of the attacks resulted in serious injury. 36% of the attacks resulted in minor injuries.
But most of the intruders were not armed. 61% of the burglars were not carrying any sort of weapon when violence occurred. Typically it was simply forced. Only 12% of burglars in a violent robbery were armed with a firearm.
If a household member was present, single-family units or apartment complexes were least likely to be robbed or broken into.
LATEST STATISTICS
- Victims of violent crime have risen to 3.3 million in 2018.
- The percentage of male victims went up 29%
- The violence that went unreported went up 12.9%.
- There may be less burglary, but the violence has increased. 6 million violent incidents were reported in 2018.
THEFT IN ISRAEL: LESS OF A PROBLEM
Organized crime has increased dramatically in Israel since the 1990s and is described by the BBC and the Israeli Police as a “booming industry”. The Israeli organized crime groups have extended their activities in foreign countries like the United States, South Africa, and the Netherlands. According to a report by the Israel Police, drug trafficking, trafficking of women for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation, illicit gambling, pirate filling stations, and real estate are the major forms of crime in the country.
In 2002, the Israel Police documented 464,854 criminal files and non-prosecution cases while the number was 484,688 in 2003. This was an increase of 4.5% in 2002.
Vehicle theft remains a concern throughout Israel. High taxes on motor vehicle imports make all vehicles, including electric bicycles, attractive targets for thieves. In most cases, local authorities do not recover stolen vehicles and oftentimes, thieves will drive the vehicles into neighboring countries and territories beyond the reach of local authorities.
THEFT IN GERMANY
- 160,000 burglaries were reported in Germany in one year.
- Theft in Germany is at an all-time high.
- The number of solved cases has also risen somewhat, to 56.3%
- 40% of crimes in Germany were theft.
Burglaries in Germany rose by 10% in the year 2015. The city of Hamburg experienced the highest rise in burglary, by almost 20%. The total damage caused by burglary in the city of Hamburg alone was $22.8 million.
According to the statistics, almost 40 percent of all offenses in Germany last year were thefts. High growth rates of 7.1 percent and 7 percent were also recorded in shoplifting and pickpocket, respectively.
In the past 15 years, the average theft has been 2,073 robberies per 100,000 people.
CRIME RATES IN ITALY
Those who travel to Italy are the most likely to get taken advantage of. In southern Italy, highway robbery is very common, especially for people who are not savvy. Holiday homes are often targeted, especially if people do not take the proper precautions. In high activity areas, homeowners keep dogs, have triple locks, and install steel doors.
Theft of and from cars is widespread in cities, where foreign-registered cars are a popular target, particularly expensive models, which are often stolen to order and spirited abroad. Theft of small items such as radios, luggage, mobile phones, cameras, briefcases, sunglasses and even cigarettes from parked cars is especially common.
Thieves in the south often take items from cars at petrol (gas) stations, if necessary by smashing car windows, and from occupied vehicles in traffic jams or at traffic lights. It’s therefore wise to keep windows closed in cities and major towns, doors locked at all times, and all valuables out of sight. When parking a bicycle, moped or scooter, you should also use as many high-security locks as you can carry.
In towns and cities, purse snatchers operate on foot, on scooters and motorcycles or even in cars. Always carry bags slung across your body with the clasp facing inwards; make sure they have a strong strap that cannot easily be cut – if they don’t, carry them firmly in your hand. Bags that are worn around the waist (‘bum-bags’) are vulnerable and should be avoided, as should back-packs, which can easily be cut.
Home robberies in Italy were typically not reported for quite some time. Burglaries doubled in number over the course of ten years.
A law in Italy was passed that allowed Italian citizens to kill burglars who broke into their homes. The law considered it legitimate defense.
Current legislation stipulates that people must have reasonable grounds to fear for their life to avoid a murder charge, but amendments would extend protections to include any burglary at night, or a robbery attempt involving threats or violence.
Cases would still be considered on an individual basis and with regard to “proportionality” by Italian judges, amid concern that automatic exceptions could be exploited.
THEFT IN FRANCE
- Domestic burglaries decreased in France by 6%.
- 1,096,000 cases of theft happened in France in one year.
In 2013, there were 250,400 burglaries in France. That high has since decreased to 233,800, but not by much. 5 out of 1,000 homes are burgled in France.
Regions with the highest burglary rate were the Île-de-France and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA).
Looking at figures from mainland France in 2017, there were 1,096,000 cases of theft without violence for example. This compared to 210,000 thefts with assault or threats.
The report points to a huge increase in 2017 of break-ins. 569,000 homeowners reported a break-in or an attempted break-in last year, 21 percent higher than 2016, which stood at 470,000.
The analysis shows that the Paris region and large towns with more than 100,000 residents were most affected by these types of crimes.
The percentage of failed break and enter robberies, however, is stable at 49 percent.
This means that in half the cases, the thieves were not successful in their robbery. In 33 percent of cases, the homeowners were not present when the robbery took place.
There are also specific seasons of the year that are burglary black spots. The worst times to forget to switch on your alarm are the summer months of July and August and the Christmas build up in December.
According to Juravin, the most likely places to get pickpocketed are close to major tourist sites: like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and the Champs-Elysées. Americans in Paris should be particularly alert to thieves who commonly work near tourist attractions such as museums, monuments, restaurants, hotels, beaches, trains, train stations, airports, subways and target vehicles with non-local license plates.
Most, but not all pickpockets work in groups. They are often adolescents since it is extremely difficult for minors to go to jail here. They can be groups of young girls or boys and of all races.
Credits
Registered research DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.2551844, 10.5281/zenodo.2567780