Police survey links crime spike to economy

Editor's note: The economy's impact on Law Enforcement was one of the Top Trends in 2008 covered by Police1. Click here to view a slideshow of how the economy impacted police officers last year.

By Kevin Johnson
USA Today

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Nearly half of the 233 police agencies surveyed since the collapse of the nation's financial markets link increases in criminal offenses to the faltering economy, a new review by a law enforcement research group shows.

In a comprehensive survey of possible links between crime and the economy, the Police Executive Research Forum found that 44% of agencies reported spikes in crime linked to the economy. Of those, 39% reported increases in robberies, 32% in burglaries and 40% in thefts. The report also found that 63% of the 233 agencies were bracing for funding cuts during the upcoming year.