NCJ Number
50906
Date Published
1977
Length
5 pages
Annotation
A STUDY OF THE INCIDENCE OF BURGLARY OF MOBILE HOMES IN ST. PETERSBURG, FLA., IN THE PERIOD 1974-1976, REVEALED THAT WHILE MOBILE HOMES COMPRISED 3 PERCENT OF THE CITY'S HOUSING UNITS, THEY MADE UP 1 PERCENT OF THE BURGLARIES.
Abstract
MOST MOBILE HOME DWELLERS ARE RETIRED PERSONS BUT REPRESENT A RANGE OF SOCIOECONOMIC LEVELS. APPROXIMATELY 60 PERCENT RESIDE IN THE CITY ON A PERMANENT BASIS. THE REMAINDER ARE SEASONAL RESIDENTS, OFTEN AWAY FROM THEIR TRAILER PREMISES 3 TO 6 MONTHS A YEAR. FROM 1974 TO 1976, 131 MOBILE HOMES WERE BURGLARIZED, REPRESENTING ONLY 1 PERCENT OF ALL RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES. AN ANALYSIS OF VICTIM TYPOLOGY REVEALED 60 PERCENT WHITE MALES AND 39 PERCENT WHITE FEMALES; 70 PERCENT OF THE VICTIMS WERE OVER 60 YEARS OF AGE. SUSPECTS WERE UNDETECTED IN 87 PERCENT OF THE INCIDENTS. WHEN OBSERVED, 5 PERCENT WERE BLACK MALES AND 8 PERCENT WERE WHITE MALES. THEY GENERALLY RANGED IN AGE FROM 20 TO 24 YEARS. AT THE TIME OF BURGLARY, 48 PERCENT OF THE TRAILERS WERE UNOCCUPIED. MOST INCIDENTS OCCURRED AT NIGHT, AND ENTRY WAS GAINED THROUGH DOORS BY 67 PERCENT OF THE BURGLARS. WINDOWS WERE THE POINT OF ENTRY FOR THE REMAINING BURGLARS. CASH, TELEVISIONS, AND JEWELRY WERE USUALLY TAKEN, BUT NO LOSSES WERE RECORDED IN 31 PERCENT OF THE BURGLARIES. EXPLANATIONS FOR THE RELATIVE INFREQUENCY OF MOBILE HOME BURGLARIES INCLUDE THE HEIGHT AND RELATIVELY FEW WINDOWS OF MOBILE HOMES, THEIR CLOSE PHYSICAL PROXIMITY IN TRAILER PARKS, AND THE ACTIVE INTERPERSONAL INVOLVEMENT FREQUENTLY FOUND IN MOBILE HOME COMMUNITIES. SUPPORTING DATA ON THE INCIDENCE OF BURGLARIES IN ST. PETERSBURG ARE TABULATED. (DEP)