The Study was issued by the Mass. Executive Office of Public Safety and Security
In February, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security published its annual policy report, Property Crime in Massachusetts: A 25-Year Retrospective, that looked at the nature and prevalence of property crime in Massachusetts over the 25 year period from 1988 to 2012, the year for which the most recent data is available. The data was then examined in comparison with trends in property crime nationally over the same time frame.
Burglary, Larceny and Motor Vehicle Theft are the three major offense classifications that are studied throughout the report. In order to paint the most accurate picture possible, the report received data from over 363 law enforcement agencies, who voluntarily submitted their community’s crime statistics during calendar year 2012. In addition, the agency also examined past annual reports and national crime reporting data in order to compare national rates and trends with the Commonwealth.
Decline in Motor Vehicle Thefts in Mass. and other highlights from the study
Overall, property crime in Massachusetts has followed a consistent pattern of decline, mirroring national trends in the drop in property crime. With particular reference to Massachusetts:
- The most striking data from the study shows that over the last 25 years, the rate of property crime per 100,000 persons in Massachusetts has declined an impressive 45 percent. In 1988, 3,923 offenses were reported as opposed to 2012 when 2,173 offenses were recorded.
- This was only slightly lower than the national rate which recorded a 47 percent decline for the same time period.
- Based on 2011 data, Massachusetts ranks ninth in the nation in ascending order.
- Massachusetts, however, has the second lowest property crime rate in New England after Connecticut, with New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and Rhode Island all having a slightly higher rate than the Commonwealth.
- From 2011-2012, the volume of Mass Property Crime per 100,000 persons decreased four percent with the volume of Motor Vehicle Theft Declining 14 percent, followed by Burglary at five percent and Larceny at two percent.
- From 2011-2012, the rate of property crime per 100,000 persons in Massachusetts decreased five percent, with the rate of Burglary declining by 6 percent, Larceny three percent and Motor Vehicle Theft by 15 percent.
- In 2012, Motor Vehicle Theft only represented six percent of the total amount of property crime offenses recorded for that year. Larceny offenses lead in 2012, with 70 percent or 101,609 offenses. Burglary followed with 33,756 offenses recorded representing 24 percent.
Interesting Graphs from the 25 Year Retrospective
The following are some the graphs from the retrospective, detailing the findings in the report. A full copy of the report can be found on the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security website of by downloading it here.
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