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Chittenden County Businesses No Longer Suffer the Negative Consequences of Opioid Abuse

Number of Burlington PD Calls for Service Related to Retail Theft

Current Value

59

Q1 2017

Definition

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Story Behind the Curve

The National Institute on Drug Abuse, among other organizations, uses three common categories to summarize the relationship between drug use and associated crime:

  • Offenses defined by drug possession or sales
  • Offenses directly related to drug abuse (e.g., stealing to get money for drugs)
  • Offenses related to a lifestyle that predisposes the drug abuser to engage in illegal activity, for example, through association with other offenders or with illicit markets.

There has been a long noted connection between drug abuse and an increased rate of crime regarding offenses not just defined by drugs, but also related to drugs and the effect of the associated lifestyle. As reported by the US Department of Justice in 1994, and in a more recent SIU study regarding heroin and crack-cocaine in 2011, the strongest link exist between drug/heroin use and "income-generating", or economic crime, more than any other kind of crime. In a related article by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, it was reported that in 2004 17% of state prisoners and 18% of federal inmates noted they committed their current offence to obtain money for drugs. Indeed, industry reports on retail shrinkage have noted an increase in national retail theft in 9 of the last 10 years, mirroring closely the continued rise in drug abuse nationally.

In Burlington, retail theft had seen steady increases since 2014, with the largest climb occurring from 2nd Quarter 2015 to 2nd Quarter 2016. However, in late 2016 regulations shifted the ability to issue no-trespass citations from the police to Burlington business owners. Though it is difficult to ascribe a causal link, it may be the case that business owners no longer call for police assistance regarding incidents of retail theft as often, and therefore this policy shift may have resulted in an under-reporting effect. As the trend continues to grow, a realistic baseline for retail-theft incidents can be established.

Citation

This information was provided by the Burlington Police Department. Statewide information on crime rates can be found on the Vermont Crime Information Center website, though this information can be significantly delayed. It is important to note that "calls for service" do not account for if an individual is issued a citation, or if an individual is charged with a crime. A call for service occurs any time an officer responds to an incident and generates an active incident record. Over time, incidents may be re-categorized to more appropriate call-types as more information about the nature of the incident is revealed. Because of this, historic figures may shift slightly over time, but it is highly unlikely they will shift in a way that alters the trend.

More information about BPD activity, crime rates, crime trends and highly affected areas can be found on the Burlington Police Department Data Dashboard

Last Updated: April 2017

Strategy

Because such a strong connection exists between drug use and economic crime, an equally strong partnership must be formed between businesses, law enforcement departments, and judicial agencies in order to properly address the complex issues of substance abuse disorder among our population. By understanding that police intervention may sometimes be the first step to recovery, better coordination between all three agencies may result in not only reduced crime, but enhanced treatment opportunities. Additionally, by illuminating the interconnected nature of drug abuse and retail theft, the CCOA can work with partners to highlight the effects of proper treatment for those in need that extend beyond the individual and back into the community, fostering a deeper level of commitment from the private sector as well.

Clear Impact Suite is an easy-to-use, web-based software platform that helps your staff collaborate with external stakeholders and community partners by utilizing the combination of data collection, performance reporting, and program planning.

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