Property vandalism tops Delaware's 5 most commonly reported crimes in 2021
A new study has revealed the most commonly reported crimes across the nation, including Delaware's top five.
The research, conducted by the criminal defense firm of Jorge Vela Law, analyzed the latest statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics to show which crimes had the highest number of reported incidents in 2021.
"This data provides a fascinating insight into crime in the U.S.," said Jorge Vela, an Austin, Texas-based lawyer. "While incidents and charges may vary from state to state based on demographics and local laws, it is important to know which crimes are most prevalent in one's area in order to know what security measures to take."
According to Vela's research, Delaware's five most commonly reported crimes in 2021 are:
Vela explained what each crime included.
Destruction, damage and vandalism of property
While vandalism involves the destruction of property, it is not always considered to be the same crime as destruction or damage of property. These crimes may cover more serious damage to property depending on the state and may thus be charged differently. It can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on state laws. This is often decided based on the scale of the damage and the value of the damaged items.
Simple assault
This is an unlawful physical attack in which the offender does not display a weapon and the victim does not suffer obvious severe injuries. It often involves intimidation and is often tried as a misdemeanor.
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Drugs and narcotics violations
These refer to crimes involving the use, possession, distribution, trafficking or manufacturing of controlled drugs. How drug-related crimes are charged depends on a number of different factors, including the type and amount of drug, where the crime takes place, the offender's age and whether the crime was a repeat offense or a first offense.
Identity theft
Identity theft refers to the theft of personal information, often for fraudulent purposes by unlawfully incurring expenses and liabilities in the victim's name.
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Shoplifting
Shoplifting is the unauthorized removal of merchandise from a store without appropriate payment.
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Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware's 5 most commonly reported crimes: What the data tells us
