In light of last year's 15-percent rise in general theft on and near campus, the Division of Public Safety is focusing its efforts on the problem, a move that could lead to decreases in total crime.
An increase in general theft, from 468 incidences in 2006 to 540 incidences last year, was primarily responsible for the 10-percent increase in overall crime seen in the Penn patrol zone in 2007.
Two main factors contribute to rising rates of theft: the amount of moveable property available and the amount of opportunities for taking it without getting caught, said Lawrence Sherman, director of Penn's Jerry Lee Center of Criminology.
The number of items stolen go up when there is more property present in a given area, he explained. However, a higher number of thefts doesn't necessarily indicate less security in an area, since higher rates of theft might simply indicate that more property was available to steal, he added.
To reduce rates of theft, you must reduce opportunity by increasing guardianship, Sherman said.
After a Criminology department analysis of bike theft, subsequent changes were enacted by DPS, designed to reduce opportunity for theft.
Bike theft went down in the Penn patrol zone last year to 104 incidences, a decline from 116 thefts in 2006.
Students can also help reduce opportunity and bring down rates of theft by making an effort not to leave their property unattended, Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush said. With this goal in mind, DPS will soon be launching their Theft Awareness Campaign.
While Sherman says there is no evidence that increases in property crime lead to increases in violent crime, working to reduce rates of theft might also reduce occurrences of violent crime.
By targeting areas where thefts have increased and stationing more police officers in these high-crime places, officials could help prevent other crimes as well, said Ralph Brecken Taylor, a professor in Temple University's criminal justice department.
"Cutting back on minor crimes means more police doing more things, which will reduce all crime," he said.
