The taking of other's property is a crime that causes many harmful consequences: loss of use from the item stolen, emotional damage caused to the owner from the item's loss, the threat of harm to one and one's family's during the theft, recurring fears of the event or its possible repeat, and often a diminished trust in one's fellow citizens. High property crime causes societal costs, such as an increased need for law enforcement, greater prison or jail capacity, and higher insurance premiums.
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) maintains a national database called the Unified Crime Report (UCR). It breaks down the more serious crimes into Part 1 Offenses, also referred to as Index Crimes. Four of the Index Crimes are classified as "violent crimes" and four are classified as "property crimes." Law enforcement agencies at all levels voluntarily report the number of reported crimes in their jurisdictions to the FBI.
Property crimes, listed in descending order of their hierarchy are: burglary, larceny and theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. According to the Hierarchy Rule, when there is a multi-offense criminal incident, only the most serious crime is counted except when arson is also involved. Arson is counted regardless of any additional offenses.
Law enforcement agencies in Walla Walla County reporting their crime statistics to the FBI (and thus counted in this indicator) are: The Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Department, The City of College Place Police Department, and The City of Walla Walla Police Department.
This indicator measures the total number of property crimes and the rate per 1,000 residents in Walla Walla County that were known to law enforcement. Washington State and the U.S. are offered as benchmarks. Additional information, including the actual number and the specific type of property crimes, can be found in the “Download Data” section.
