As we roll into summer here in New Jersey, there’s no question more of us will be spending time outside, getting together with friends and family, and enjoying the long awaited warm weather. But should the average citizen be worried about an increase in crime? Is warm weather really a catalyst for those carrying out criminal activities?
Most Popular Street Crimes
There’s no denying that the summer months see a lot more activity from the general public. People are more likely to go out instead of staying in. From a criminal’s point of view, however, this means more opportunity: more cars to steal, people to rob, and so on. When we go and ask ourselves if crime is really increasing during the summer, it is better to narrow down what kind of criminal activity we’re talking about. We have narrowed it down to what we generally see the most of. This includes assault, burglary, robbery, homicide, rape and vehicle theft. Now that we have specified what we’re looking for, it’s easier to look for any kind of correlation.
Do we see an increase in these crimes during the summer?
The best way to answer this question is to look at data from the past. NJ Advance Media took the liberty of comparing weather and crime patterns from 2013 to 2017, and plotting the data on graphs to help readers make connections between the two. You can look at this yourself, here. Overall, crime does seem to trend upward as the temperature rises. Although, there will always be outliers. January occasionally saw random spikes in crime, and individual months would be hard to predict as there doesn’t seem to be any clear trends or patterns. However, in some cases, it is very obvious that crime rates follow along with temperature. Assault, homicide and motor vehicle theft all see a clear increase as the weather warms up, especially in June and July.
Why do we see more crime in the summer?
There are a multitude of factors that can play into why we see more crime when it’s hot out. As previously said, warm weather motivates people to go outside, do things with friends and generally causes more people to get out of the house. This creates more opportunity for people with criminal intentions. More people, more money, more cars; all of this can be enticing for those who want to take advantage. But that’s not all. Warm weather can also bring out irrational behavior from people. Overheating may make people angry and agitated, possibly bringing them to a point where they’d do something drastic. This would explain an increase in assault and homicides. Plus, summer months see more hours of sunlight, kids out of school, and overall, more people out and about. All of which can affect the amount of crime we see in an area.
How to Protect Yourself
Although it may seem like crime increases during the summer, no one should let that scare them from enjoying themselves as the days get warmer. The best thing you can do is to always be aware and prepared. Make sure you are aware of the kinds of crimes you may fall victim to, and do your best to prepare and protect yourself from those situations. Know the signs, know the steps to prevent those things from happening to you, and always have a plan.
If you’ve found yourself charged with a crime this summer or in any season, you can count on Catanzaro Law for compassionate, zealous legal representation. Our law office is dedicated to serving you, to ensure you get the quality defense you deserve. Contact us for a free consultation today!