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The crime of burglary, also called "breaking and entering," is rooted in common law, originally designed to protect both the property within the home and the safety of its occupants. Modern-day burglary has expanded from a common law definition of entering the dwelling house of another during the night with the intent to commit a crime to now include illegal entry of any structure with criminal intent. The intent is most typically to commit a larceny, but it can be for assault, rape, vandalism, or any other criminal transgression. Most state criminal codes delineate degrees of seriousness based upon factors such as time of day, whether the structure serves as a dwelling, and whether the burglar is armed.

Burglary is a rather widespread crime with more than 2 million offenses recorded by the police annually and more than 3 million reported in victimization surveys. The gap between these measures is rather large because burglaries are rarely solved. If not for supporting insurance claims, the rate of reporting to the police would undoubtedly be even lower. The average take in a burglary is around $1,200, and the total annual loss is more than $4 billion.

Burglars vary widely in their skills, planning, and success. Criminologists generally identify several subsets of offenders. One sizable group is those with drug addictions looking for quick sources of funds to support their habit. Juvenile offenders constitute another significant group. Neither of these sets of offenders plan very well, and consequently, their risk is high and profits tend to be low. On the other hand, a segment of the burglar population plans quite carefully, gathering information about items present in a home or business and the occupying patterns of the residents or proprietors.

The single most important criterion to burglars is that persons are not present in the premises to be burglarized. Whether there is careful planning or only cursory observation of indicators, the goal is to break into unoccupied sites. Once entry is gained, a second dictum of the burglar is to work fast to minimize the risk of being caught. The most prized targets of the burglar are items that are portable, of high value, and readily convertible to cash. Jewelry, silver, and guns are prime examples. The overwhelming motivation for burglary is to profit from the theft to fulfill needs, or perceived needs, for money.

Many criminologists portray burglars primarily in terms of rational choice theory, whereas others view them as often impacted by emotion and other factors that undermine rational decision making. Offenders motivated by less-rational factors such as a desire for revenge, being under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the offense, or desperation are at greatest risk of discovery. Those who are more rationally motivated are more likely to take environmental cues regarding the susceptibility of sites and their own risks into account.

Bibliography:

1) Tunnell, Kenneth D. 2000. Living Off Crime. Chicago: Burnham.

2) Wright, Richard T. and Scott Decker. 1994. Burglars on the Job: Street Life and Residential Break-ins. Boston: Northeastern University Press.

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