This report presents data on the prevalence and characteristics of property crime in Massachusetts over the 25-year period from 1988 to 2012.
There were 144,450 property crimes recorded by law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts in 2012, a 36-percent decrease since 1988. During this same 25-year period, the property-crime rate per 100,000 Commonwealth residents decreased 45 percent, from 3,923 offenses to 2,173 offenses. Property crime decreased 4 percent from 2011 to 2012, showing a decline in each of the three major property offense categories: burglary, a 5-percent decline; larceny, a 2-percent decline; and motor vehicle theft, a 14-percent decline. The property-crime rate decreased 5 percent between 2011 and 2012, with a decline in the rate of each of the three major offense categories: burglary, a 6-percent decline; larceny, a 3-percent decline; and motor vehicle theft, a 15-percent decline. The data for this report were obtained from 363 law enforcement agencies composed of 297 municipal police agencies (85 percent of the cities and towns in Massachusetts), 36 campus police departments, 22 State police barracks, 7 counties patrolled by transit police, and the Environmental Police. 9 figures, 3 tables, and 7 references