Home Invasion Statistics
Home invasion is one of the most terrifying and horrific crimes that a family or individual can experience. It can often leave people traumatized for long periods after the crime occrus and can also result in a complete loss of personal sense of security. Many are left devastated by home invasions and are unable to feel safe in their own homes afterwards. It would appear that one of the main targets for this terrible and dangerous crime is people who are elderly or physically disabled. Criminals who commit home invasions often target the weak and unprepared. They often use a weapon such as a knife or other cutting instruments to intimidate or even assault their victims.
Home Invasion statistics report that the crime is on the rise. People typically think of a home invasion as a robbery or a burglary. While in most cases this is the intended crime to be committed, in several cases home invasions occurs with the intent to commit a rape, an assault or even a murder. Money and expensive belongings may be the motivation behind most break-ins, but sometimes it is a secondary intention of criminals. Because the reasons, methods and intentions of home invasions are so varied it can be difficult to define reliable statistics on the crime. According to a report by the United States Department of Justice, 38% of assaults and 60% of rapes occur in the home during an invasion.
There are some startling statistics and facts about home invasion in the United States. It is estimated that in the U.S. at least one property related crime occurs every three seconds. In the United States there were over 3,600,000 each year between 1994 and 2005. Statistics Canada reported over 289,200 per year in the last five years. Statistically there are over 8000 reported home invasions each and every day across North America. These are just the facts for the crimes which are actually defined as home invasions. There are many burglaries and thefts which occur under different cirumstances which do not fall directly into that category of a home invasion for one reason or another.
Typically, criminals convicted of home invasions or porerty related offences indicate that they see residential homes as viable alternatives to robbing a bank or a convenience store. The reason for this is because of more and more businesses using high tech security systems on their business properties. It is becoming harder and harder for criminals to pull off robberies of business properties, leading them to target private residences instead.9 out of 10 convicted criminals who have commited home invasions have said that they would not attempt to break into a home with a home security system installed. Violent crime is on the rise in North America, and it is estimated that 1 out of every 5 homes are just as likely to experience a robbery as they are to have a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning. Having a home security system installed makes your home three times less likely to be targeted by burglars.
