How is Crime Impacted by the COVID-19 Crisis?
Every global crisis brings with it a range of societal changes that radically alter the social fabric. COVID-19 has been no different in this regard. The economy and day-to-day operations are domains that have suffered the most at the behest of a global lockdown. Moreover, there also significant consequences for how people used to perceive crime and deviance.
The reassuring news is that the percentage of physical crime has decreased: that which is carried out outside in the form of burglaries, robberies, and homicide. The reason behind this is a widespread lockdown, and the deployment of law enforcement to ensure nobody gets out.
But this silver lining is not that profound. When there is a behavioral shift, it brings with it new instances of crime.
Analyzing Traditional Crime and How it is Impacted
Traditionally, mobility and movement were central to crime. This is because an offender or a criminal must encounter a target for a crime to be committed. Thus, movement gauges the opportunity or potential for a crime to be committed. The target can take the form of a person, a building, or a house.
But due to the enforcement of a lockdown, a crime of opportunity decreased profoundly.
Necessity also facilitates crime. Nevertheless, these change with time. In normal days, criminals were likely to steal valuable goods such as mobile phones, wallets, and jewelry. These days they target other necessities to survive.
People have reported instances of crime in which people, fed up with rising prices of face masks and oxygen canisters due to the coronavirus pandemic, ended up stealing these commodities.
With people remaining indoors, the fortification against burglaries has increased exponentially. Usually, criminals targeted vacant homes because the risk of getting caught was considerably lower, but now there are seldom vacant homes.
Breaking into a home can be a tough ordeal for any burglar, especially in the USA where natives own firearms such as long guns that are securely concealed in safes.
The widespread demand for firearms has also stimulated a burgeoning demand for gun safes, where people can get the best gun safe under 1000 dollars. Since most of the economy has also shifted online, digital scams and financial frauds have also increased in frequency.
Home Based Crime
The numbers of target based crimes have decreased amidst a lockdown. However, the same thing cannot be said for home-based crimes such as domestic violence and physical abuse.
During these uncertain times, anxiety can be a potent trigger to disrupt a family and small feuds can quickly escalate to barbaric acts of domestic violence.
The consumption of alcohol can also increase the likelihood of physical abuse committed at home. While most pubs are closed, people still have unregulated access to online groceries and vineyards. They are carrying out deliveries to sustain themselves financially.
The best course to adopt is establishing a neighborhood watch. To achieve this, people can harness the power of social media and the internet to stay connected and keep a watchful eye.
