Research Paper – Crime Reporting
Introduction
The crime rate in the United States is often assessed based on the prevalence of different types of crimes. The most prevalent crime in Jacksonville is property crime, which includes crimes relating to the destruction or theft of another person’s property. Property crimes may range from lower crime levels, such as vandalism or shoplifting, to high-level felonies, including arson and armed robbery. Some of these crimes, such as burglary, do not require the offender to take away the stolen goods or harm a victim because burglary comprises unlawfully entering with the intent to commit a crime. Other crimes, such as robbery, however, require taking property or money. Robbery also requires the victim to be present when the crime occurs. Most property crimes are also categorized based on factors such as the stolen amount and the use of arms or force in theft and potential or actual physical injury in the destruction of property, such as arson. According to the crime rate analysis by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the crime rate includes three property crimes: burglary, larceny, and theft. In Jacksonville, the most common type of property crime is theft. The city recorded 23,000 theft incidents in 2020, roughly 6,000 burglary incidents, and 3,000 motor vehicle theft incidents. Our assignment writing help is at affordable prices to students of all academic levels and academic disciplines.
Who seems to be most victimized by this crime?
The metro area residents seem to be most victimized by property crime. According to a study conducted by Crime Grade (2020), the rate of property crime in the metro area of Jacksonville is 9.32 per 1,000 residents during an ordinary year. People living in the city’s metro area generally consider the metro area’s south part to be the safest for property crime. The study’s findings by Crime Grade (2020) indicated that the chance of being a victim of property crime in the metro area of Jacksonville city might be as high as 1 in 173 in the southern part and 1 in 64 in the northern part. Most property crimes occur in the northern region, with an average of 2,666 property crimes annually.
Who appears to be the offender most of the time?
According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (2019), the estimated number of arrests for burglary offenders among whites was 117,080, 49,380 among blacks, 2,500 among American Indians, and 2,630 among Asians. This indicates that most offenders of burglary are whites. The statistics also show that 539,390 arrests were made among whites for larceny theft, 245,540 among blacks, 16,070 among American Indians, and 12,070 among Asians. 54,500 arrests were made among whites for motor vehicle theft, 23,110 among blacks, 1,710 among American Indians, and 1,320 among Asians.
What is the clearance rate for this crime?
The clearance rate for property crime has been high due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Most people worked from home or stayed at home most of the time during the COVID-19 pandemic, thus significantly dropping robberies, burglaries, and larcenies. In Jacksonville state, 13,439 crimes indicated a 17% drop from 2019. Burglaries dropped by 17.8% to 51,928, and larcenies reduced by 18.5% to 291,923 (Associate Press, 2021).
Do you feel these numbers accurately represent the actual prevalence of this crime? Why or why not?
In my opinion, the clearance rate for property crime in Jacksonville accurately represents the actual prevalence of the crime because the COVID-19 pandemic significantly restricted people’s movement, hence forcing them to spend more time at home. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2020), during the emergency faced immediately after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant decrease in burglary, theft, and robbery based on crimes reported to authorities. For instance, the decline in theft was more than 50% in many countries. However, the numbers may change because, in the medium to the long term, the decreasing trend in reported theft, robbery, and burglary may be reversed due to the economic downturn following the economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on what has occurred in the past, it is evident that economic crises increase unemployment and significantly impact vulnerable groups, stressing the people and limiting opportunities for financial stability, thus triggering an increase in property crime in the later stages of the pandemic or even after it ends.
Describe how the data may influence the decision-making process in developing policies and procedures. Provide at least one example.
Policy formulation requires problem identification, determining the significance of the problems based on their impact and magnitude, and developing policy approaches to address them. The implementation of policies and procedures involves making decisions for policy appropriateness, encouraging people to adopt the policy, and acquiring the resources needed to implement it. Therefore, the data may influence the decision-making process by providing a justification for policies and the allocation of funds. The statistics may be routinely used to make a case for the significance of the problem the policy is required to solve, which is, in this case, the prevalence of property crime. The data can also be used to make arguments for advancing claims about the extent and nature of the property crime problem. The data may also influence the decision-making process by enabling policymakers to identify the pattern in property crime, analyze the trends in the rise and decrease of crimes in Jacksonville, and uncover the difference between various areas in terms of criminality. Policymakers may also use the data to create the characteristics for the likely criminals in the city based on the most common offenders. Such information may guide policymakers on the most effective measures to take to punish offenders. For example, an increase in the number of young offenders may prompt policymakers to change the punishments used to deter and prevent property crime by introducing harsher punishments.
Crime rate data plays a significant role in making decisions and implementing various policing approaches and methods to reduce general criminal activities. The approaches guide police to ensure that they only focus on specific geographical areas. It further enhances problem-solving and planning management and strengthens the relationship between the community and the police. Policymakers can also use the data to identify risk factors such as specific locations and buildings that draw crime. For instance, an increase in the crime rate in the metro area may be attributed to a high number of potential places that can be robbed, such as businesses. The policymakers can then determine the most appropriate course of action, such as advising people on the measures they can take to protect their property. A patrol team can also be created to survey the areas with a high property crime rate to deter criminals. Data on the prevalence of a specific crime can also influence decision-making by giving policymakers an idea of whether current policies are effective or not. For instance, a continuous increase in a specific crime can be an indication that existing policies are not effective. Recommendations can then be made to improve the policies or introduce new policies to reduce the crime rate.
References
Associate Press. (2021). Florida’s Overall Crime Rate Down, Murders up in 2020. U.S News.
Crime Grade. (2020). Jacksonville Metro, FL Property Crime Rates and Non-Violent Crime Maps. https://crimegrade.org/property-crime-jacksonville-fl-metro/
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. (2019). Arrests by offense, age, and race. https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/crime/ucr.asp?table_in=2
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2020). Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions on homicide and property crime.
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Question 
Choose and analyze a particular crime: robbery, sexual assault, burglary, homicide, property crime, etc.… Research the crime statistics that have been reported via the UCR (Uniform Crime Report) and NIBRS (National Incident-Based Reporting System (Links to an external site.)) maintained by the FBI.
Crime Reporting
Discuss the national, regional, and state data for that crime based on where you live.
What are the most recent statistics?
Have they changed over time, and if so, by how much?
In a 4-5+ page paper (1000-1250 words), Write an introduction to the crime. Using what you have learned about crime reporting, and based upon research of your own, analyze the following:
Who seems to be most victimized by this crime?
Who appears to be the offender most of the time?
What is the clearance rate for this crime?
Do you feel these numbers accurately represent the actual prevalence of this crime? Why or why not?
Describe how the data may influence the decision-making process in developing policies and procedures. Provide at least one example.
Make sure you use citations and references to support any opinions you posit or statements you make.