NCJ Number
208049
Date Published
2004
Length
20 pages
Annotation
After a review of the British car-theft rates, this paper discusses the government's development of an index that ranks car models by their vulnerability to theft, a step intended to pressure car manufacturers into designing vehicles with better security.
Abstract
International comparisons of car-theft rates put England and Wales at the top of the tables. Vehicle security against theft involves two issues: getting car owners to use security devices already installed in their cars and having effective security measures built into vehicles. Regarding the latter issue, the British Home Office had the naive belief that car manufacturers would increase car security if they were informed about how this could be done; consequently, the Home Office commissioned research in the 1980's to demonstrate to car manufacturers that more sophisticated car locks could be developed at no great cost and with no inconvenience to car owners. The report was met with a polite indifference by car manufacturers. The British Government then created a car-theft index to rank car models by their risk for theft. This not only informed prospective car purchasers about the security features of various vehicles but also provided a lever to encourage car manufacturers to upgrade security measures as a marketing tool. In designing and redesigning various products that are attractive to thieves, it is important that governments consider various methods whereby manufacturers can be encouraged and informed in incorporating theft-resistant features in their products. 2 figures and 22 references