NCJ Number
198244
Date Published
2001
Length
60 pages
Annotation
This report serves as a guide for long-term interagency initiatives and small-scale police operations against stolen goods.
Abstract
Focusing on the stolen goods market and stolen goods thieves and dealers, this report serves as a guide for long-term interagency initiatives and small-scale police operations. Arguing that there is little research on the role of fences, thieves, and consumers in the redistribution of stolen goods, the authors present a brief history of the Market Reduction Approach (MRA) which aims to make the stealing and dealing in stolen goods more difficult and risky and a less attractive means of making money. After identifying five types of markets for stolen goods including commercial fence supplies, residential fence supplies, network sales, commercial sales, and hawking, this report summarizes the steps in the MRA model that should be taken by law enforcement officials in order to reduce the number of stolen goods in an area. By gathering information on local stolen goods markets and how they are operating, by devising and implementing plans to reduce the most significant markets, and by evaluating the outcomes and revising the MRA plan, the central aim of the MRA, or reducing the dealing in stolen goods in order to reduce the motivation to steal, will be realized according to these authors. This report describes a MRA project commencing by using the Extra Routine and Systematic Opportunistic Research (ERASOR) project to ask law enforcement officials specific questions about the stolen goods markets, and this document discusses using a strategic planning component within a MRA project in order to implement significant changes in the stolen goods market. The authors conclude that when implemented effectively, the MRA weakens individuals’ motivations to steal, reduces the vulnerability of hot products, and reduces theft by hampering the ability of thieves to cultivate new stolen goods markets. References