Crime rates dropped during snowstorms

During Penn’s snow days, crime rates plunged along with temperatures last week.

According to Division of Public Safety spokeswoman Stef Cella, no crimes against people or residential property were reported on either Feb. 10 or Feb. 11, when snowfall was heaviest.

Over these two days, only one incident — which occurred Feb. 10 at a commercial property located on 40th and Chestnut streets — was reported. It is currently being investigated as a possible burglary.

“From a nonscientific perspective, we notice that when there is extremely cold weather or a lot of snow, there is less crime,” Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush said.

However, she emphasized that attributing the temporary reduction in crime to one factor would be “erroneous and broad,” citing the absence of people on the streets as another probable cause reducing the incidences of crimes against people.

Rush recalled the effects of unfavorable weather conditions on the number of people outdoors two years ago, when DPS had been dealing with the congregation of large crowds on 40th Street.

“When it was really cold, the large crowds never appeared,” she said, adding that limitations imposed by the weather on the “movement of people” may have some effect on the availability of victims.

Rush also speculated that because houses are available “all the time,” it is possible that would-be perpetrators of crimes against property have also decided to take a snow day off.

Acknowledging that a comprehensive review of the correlation between snow or other forms of inclement weather — like heavy rains or severe cold — is necessary before a direct causal link between weather conditions and reductions in crime can be established, Rush concluded that there is generally lower crime in “very cold and snowy weather.”

“Heat isn’t as good a deterrent as cold,” she added.

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