Delaware Crime Report 1978 -- 1989

May 1990

STATE OF DELAWARE

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS CENTER 60 THE PLAZA

DoVER. DELAWARE 19901

/31 1'-1;(

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DELAWARE CRIME REPORT May 1990

• VIOLENT CRIMES

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Between 1988 and 1989, some significant changes for reported violent crime occurred. Most important are the changes for aggravated assault (+31 percent), robbery (+18 percent), and forcible rape (+11 percent). Homicide has remained relatively stable over the past three years.

Compared to changes on the national level, Delaware has significantly higher increases for rape (Delaware +11 percent and U. S. +1 percent), robbery (Delaware +18 percent and U. S. +7 percent), and aggravated assault (Delaware +31 percent and u.s. +5 percent) .

Over the twelve year period of 1978 to 1989, the changes in these violent crimes is informative. From a historical perspective change in the number of reported forcible rapes· is the most significant. In 1978, 110 forcible rapes were reported in Delaware. This number has increased steadily each year with 571 forcible rapes being reported in 1989. The consensus among criminal justice professionals is that for the most part this increase is related to increased'confidence in the criminal justice system's handling of these cases. Sexual offenses against children is the most rapidly growing type of offense reported. These crimes are charged as felonies and therefore they appear in the reported rape count. This is not the case in many other states. This may cause Delaware to appear higher in national rankings for reported rapes than is the case.

From a historical perspective aggravated assault shows a disconcerting pattern. There were 2,333 reported aggravated assaults in 1989. This is slightly higher that the prior peaks for Delaware of 2,163 in 1979 and 2,081 in 1982. Between 1983 and 1988, however, Delaware enjoyed a significant reduction in the number of reported aggravated assaults, the average number of reports in this period being 1,661 per year. The resurgence of reported aggravated assaults in 1989, although not much higher than peaks of ten years ago, is significant. A possible explanation may be its relationship to illicit drug activities. Law enforcement is seeing more drug related assaults being reported following the law enforcement crackdown on illicit drug activities.

Robbery, like aggravated assault, increased significantly in 1989 (18 percent). Historically, however, this increase is not as dramatic as the increase in aggravated assault. Robbery has been cyclical over the past twelve years, and rarely has the annual change for reported robbery gone outside of an expected variance. Over the past twelve'years the av'erage number of robberies has been 790 per year with an expected variation of 854 on the high side and 726 on the low side. Reported robbery in 1989 at 933 exceeds the high side expectation by 79 cases.

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Total Violent Crime 1978 - 1989

OFFENSES

_ SUSSEX 0 KENT .. NEW CASTLE

OFFENSES 4000----------------------------------------------

3000--

~OOO

1000

NEW CASTLE 184t1 2050 1eT4 2149 2041 1883 1882 1922 1T43 1924 20342389 KENT 442 513 510 515 524 429 386 385 480 4DO 508 881 SUSSEX 411 827 408 310 4T3 446 488 0438 534 TOTAL 2601 30 2T61 2132 2T43 2T3T

Homicide 1978 - 1989

!:;,.,j ... ! SUSSEX D KENT - NEW CASTLE

OFFENSES 50-------------------------------------------

40

30

20

10

NEW CASTLE KENT SUSSEX TOTAL

3AC 3/90

7 39

5 6 7 7 5 5 9

34 38 40 35

18 : 28 1

7 6 1 4 4 8 6 6

I 12 . 3 6 !

27 26 30 31 36 ' 35 34

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Rape 1978 - 1989

_ SUSSEX 0 KENT _ NEW CASTLE

OFFENSES 600-------------------------------------------500------------------------------------400---------------------------------300---------------------

200------------~

100

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NEW CASTLE KENT SUSSEX TOTAL

29 29 32 38 44 99 103 134 18 'i5 15 24 26 40 56 58 84 92 92 122 110 155 159 189 188 228 301 300 355 461 515 571

Note: In about 80 percent of the reported rape. the a ... Uant In known by the victim •

KENT SUSSEX TOTAL

SAC 3/90

Robbery 1978 - 1989

_ SUSSEX 0 KENT _ NEW CASTLE

OFFENSES 1000-------------------------------------------

800

800

400

200

712 828 585 818 882 818 670 813 733 70 70 82 90 55 55 49 78 104 111 130 115 44 34 43 38 51 47 46 40 73 82 46 85 819 738 815 838 734 887 713 778 795 843 788 933

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Aggravated Assault 1978 - 1989

_ SUSSEX CJ KENT .. NEW CASTLE

OFFENSES 2600----------------------------------------

SUSSEX TOTAL

SAC 3/90

,. PERCENTAGE CHANGES IN CRIME PATTERNS 1989 OVER 1988 THE UNITED STATES COMPARED TO DELAWARE

Total violent Crime Murder Rape

United States +5% +4% +1% Delaware +24% -3% +11%

Source of United States Data: Uniform Crime Report 1989 Preliminary Annual Release

Robber:y Assault

+7% +5% +18% +31%

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Delaware Crime Report May 1990

PROPERTY CRIMES

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The property crime that increased significantly in 1989 was motor vehicle theft (+32 percent). Burglary and arson showed significant decreases in 1989 (~12 percent and -30 percent respectively).

For property crimes Delaware has a higher one year increase for motor vehicle theft that the u.s. -- +32 percent versus +9 percent. For burglary and arson, however, Delaware is significantly lower in 1989 compared to the u.s. (Burglary: Delaware -12 percent and u.s. -2%) and (Arson: Delaware -30 percent and u.s. -2 percent).

Motor vehicle theft follows a historical pattern similar to aggravated assault. Between 1978 and 1983, the number of reported vehicle thefts was higher than it was between 1984 and 1988. The average in the early period was 2,695 per year and the average in the later period was 1,829 per year, a decrease of about 860 from the earlier to the later period. The single year change in 1989 moved the number of motor vehicle theft.s back to the higher levels reported in the early 1980's.

The reasons for the increase in motor vehicle thefts is not well understood. It is, however, a problem not isolated to Delaware . Increases in motor vehicle theft is a nationwide problem. One aspect of change related to motor vehicle theft shown in an indepth California study (1) is that a greater proportion of adults are being arrested for motor vehicle theft. In 1975, 64 percent of the motor vehicle thefts arrests were adults. By 1987 this percentage had increased to 76 percent. This may indicate a reduction in joyriding thefts and an increase in stripping.

The 12 percent decrease for the reported burglaries in Delaware is counter to conventional wisdom that the increased use of illicit drug is closely related to increases in property crimes to obtain resources to purchase the drugs. It may be that the drugs are cheap enough and that selling drugs is more profitable and less risky than stealing.

Larceny, after decreasing from a high of 24,668 being reported in 1981 has remained stable near the 20,000 a year level. In 1989, the number of reported larcenies was 20,300.

(1) "Conspicuous Depredation: Automobile Theft in Los Angeles, 1904 to 1987" by J.B. Thomas, Office of the Attorney General-Bureau of Criminal Statistics. March 1990 .

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Total Property Crime 1978 -1989

~ SUS81lX CJ KI!!NT .. NIlW CASTLE

RI!PORTED CRIMIlS 40,OOO--------------------~------------------------------------

NEW CASTLE KENT 8USSEX TOTAL

8URGLARY 1978 - 1989

~ SU8Sl!X c:J KENT .. NIlW CASTLE

RI!PORTI!D CRIMIlB 10,000-----------------------------------------------------------

8,000

8,000

4,000

2.000

NEW C.\STLE KENT SUSSI!!X TOTAL

SAC 3/90

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LARCENY 1978 - 1989

~ 8USSEX CJKENT .NEW CASTLE

REPORTI!D CRIM!!S SO,OOO -------------------------

6,000

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NEW CA8TLE KENT SUSSEX TOTAL

BSUSSEX

REPORTED CRIMES

ARSON 1984 .- 1989

o KENT _ NEW CASTLE

600------------------------------------------

400

300

200

100

o 1984 1986 1986 1987 1988 1989

NEW CASTLE 311 281 316 286 328 213 KENT 73 80 49 28 27 44 SUSSEX 52 48 61 24 63 34 TOTAL 436 389 416 337 418 291

SAC 3/90

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MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT 1978 - 1989

_ SUSSEX 0 KENT _ NEW CASTLE

REPORTED CRIMES 3000----------------------------------------

500

O~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NEW CASTLE "'i:SoIl~t:lil:4i.O KENT SUSSEX TOTAL

SAC 3/90

PERClm'l'AGE CHANGES IN CRIME PNl'TERNS 1989 OVER 1988 THE UNITED STATES COMPARED TO DELAWARE

Total

132

Motor V Property Crime Burqlary Larceny Theft Arson

United States +2% -2% +2% +9% -2% Delaware Nc) Change -12% +2% +32% -30%

Source of United States Data: Uniform Cr~e Report 1989 PrelLminary Annual Release

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Delaware CrLme Report May 1990

ILI.ICIT DRUGS

In total, illicit drug arrests in Delaware increased 48 between 1988 and 189 percent. Adults are much more likely than juveniles to be arrested for the possession or trafficking of an illicit drug. In 1989, 87 percent of the illicit drug arrests were adults. Adult illicit drug arrests increased from 1,344 in 1988 to 1,934 in 1989 -- a 44 percent increase. However striking that may be, it is noteworthy that drug arrests for juveniles have increased by 82 percent in 1989. 1986 was the low point for juvenile illicit drug arrests at 137. By 1989 the number has more than doubled to 296.

The increase in drug arrests is most likely related to the increase in law enforcement manpower dedicated to ~llicit drug behavior. Most drug related arrests are based on proactive investigations by the police because very few are reported. For most other cr~es the police activity is initiated through a report of a criminal incident.

Cocaine related arrests were the driving force for the increase of both the adult and the juvenile illicit drug arrests. In 1987, there were more adult marijuana related arrests than cocaine arrests -- 567 versus 418. In 1989, the number of adult cocaine arrests was double that of the marijuana arrests -- 1,297 versus 625. Juvenile cocaine arrests have increase significantly over the past three years: from 19 in 1987, to 74 in 1988, and to 167 in 1989 .

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A R R E S T S

DELAVVARE DRUG ARRESTS (1978 - 1989)

2500-------------------------------------

2000--------------------------------~

1500------------------------------~

1000 -- m'..1-~~~

• TOTAL ADULT liB 457 690 834 892 974 JUVENILE D 329 394 409 389 278 298 271 226 137 159 163 296

SAC 3/90

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PRECENTAGE CHANGE IN DELAWARE DRUG ARREST PATTERNS 1989 OVER 1988

All Drug Arrests Cocaine Arrests Marijuania

Total 48% 60% 31%

Adult 44% 55% 29%

"Other" drugs not shown because the small numbers would produce distorted precentages

Juyenile 82%

126% 40%

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TOTAL MARIJUANA

DELAWARE DRUG ARRESTS BY DRUG TYPE (1980 - 1989)

JUVENILE ARRESTS 500---------------------------

400 -.

300 r--r

200 -- - I- -

100 r-- ~ '-- I- >--

~f l

0 ' ..oJ. ~ ~ .n:t. - -I I

1980 1 9811 982 1983 11984 1985 1986 1 987 19881 989

04 09 3 89 2 78 271 226 137 159 163 296 .3 89 3 64 2 38 255 213 123 137 87 122

OP/COCAINE • 7 2 8 6 7 12 19 74 167 OTHER ~ 13 23 32 10 6 2 3 2 7

SAC 3/90

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DELAWARE DRUG ARRESTS (ADULT) BY DRUG TYPE (1978 - 1989)

ADULT ARRESTS 2000--------------

1500 --------------1

1000 -------=~1__1

500--'

TOTAL D MARIJUANA • 0

OP/COCAINE. 0 0 107 101 162 0 OTHER ~ 0 0 182 183 194 0 103 89 82 48 22 12

SAC 3/90