NCJ Number
29751
Journal
Kriminalistik Volume: 29 Issue: 10 Dated: (OCTOBER 1975) Pages: 438-440
Date Published
1975
Length
3 pages
Annotation
CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FROM A STUDY OF UNREPORTED CRIME IN GOETTINGEN, WEST GERMANY, IN REGARD TO THE FREQUENCY WITH WHICH VARIOUS TYPES OF THEFT OCCUR AND THEIR RELATIVE IMPORTANCE IN TERMS OF OVERALL LOSSES.
Abstract
THE STUDY SHOWED THAT AUTO THEFTS CONSTITUTE A SMALLER PROPORTION OF ALL THEFTS THAN THE POLICE STATISTICS SUGGEST BECAUSE ONE OUT OF EVERY TWO SUCH THEFTS IS REPORTED, PRESUMABLY BECAUSE OF THE RELATIVELY HIGH VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. IN CONTRAST, ONLY ABOUT ONE CASE OUT OF EVERY 170 OF PETTY CRIME SUCH AS PICKING POCKETS WAS REPORTED. CONSEQUENTLY, THE TOTAL VALUE OF THE LOSS RESULTING FROM SUCH CRIMES IS MUCH GREATER THAN THE POLICE STATISTICS SUGGEST. ATTEMPTED THEFT WAS ALSO REPORTED VERY INFREQUENTLY, PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE ABSENCE OF LOSS OR DAMAGE AND BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY INVOLVED IN PROVING IT. BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF SHOPLIFTING, THE STUDY COULD NOT PRODUCE ANY ACCURATE FIGURES ON UNREPORTED CASES, BUT IT MADE IT APPEAR LIKELY THAT THE MOST PESSIMISTIC ESTIMATES COME CLOSEST TO THE TRUTH. --IN GERMAN