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Video related to this article is available below.Issue date: 3/23/07 Section: News
Oh the weather outside makes crime frightful
As the temp rises, more people stay outside - and more crime often occurs as a result
Emily Babay
The snow and hail that plagued the area last weekend may likely be the last evidence of winter, but warmer spring weather might bring some unpleasant side effects of its own.
Division of Public Safety officials and criminology experts say they expect crime rates to increase as warmer weather hits the area and more people head outdoors.
Ellen Cohn, a criminology professor at Florida International University who specializes in the effects of weather on crime, said that, as the weather gets warmer, people spend less time doing routine activities - habitual tasks like work and classes - during which one is unlikely to be the victim of a violent crime.
Alcohol consumption is also more frequent, often leading to higher crime rates.
Cohn said that all of these changes in behavior generally lead to more crimes between persons.
"In general, violent crime seems to be more affected by temperature than property crimes," she said.
Experts also say there are simply more opportunities for crime to happen in the spring as people try to enjoy the warm weather.
"It puts more people out on the street, especially late at night," Criminology department Chariman Lawrence Sherman said. "When young men are on street corners and encounter each other, insults or glances or other perceived threats that provoke violence are more likely to occur."
This rise also happens with property crimes, DPS officials said.
"There's more activity - more people are out," Capt. Joe Fischer of the Penn Police said. "The opportunistic thief will take advantage of that."
Fischer also said crimes that occur outdoors, such as thefts at outside cafes and bike thefts, are particularly likely to increase in the spring.
However, Cohn added that, when temperatures reach a certain point, crime does begin to taper off.
"Up to about 85 degrees, [crime rates] go pretty much straight up," she said. "But after temperature continues to increase, we are more interested in getting out of the heat than we are in beating each other up."
Division of Public Safety officials and criminology experts say they expect crime rates to increase as warmer weather hits the area and more people head outdoors.
Ellen Cohn, a criminology professor at Florida International University who specializes in the effects of weather on crime, said that, as the weather gets warmer, people spend less time doing routine activities - habitual tasks like work and classes - during which one is unlikely to be the victim of a violent crime.
Alcohol consumption is also more frequent, often leading to higher crime rates.
Cohn said that all of these changes in behavior generally lead to more crimes between persons.
"In general, violent crime seems to be more affected by temperature than property crimes," she said.
Experts also say there are simply more opportunities for crime to happen in the spring as people try to enjoy the warm weather.
"It puts more people out on the street, especially late at night," Criminology department Chariman Lawrence Sherman said. "When young men are on street corners and encounter each other, insults or glances or other perceived threats that provoke violence are more likely to occur."
This rise also happens with property crimes, DPS officials said.
"There's more activity - more people are out," Capt. Joe Fischer of the Penn Police said. "The opportunistic thief will take advantage of that."
Fischer also said crimes that occur outdoors, such as thefts at outside cafes and bike thefts, are particularly likely to increase in the spring.
However, Cohn added that, when temperatures reach a certain point, crime does begin to taper off.
"Up to about 85 degrees, [crime rates] go pretty much straight up," she said. "But after temperature continues to increase, we are more interested in getting out of the heat than we are in beating each other up."
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Oh, it is the weather's fault
posted 3/23/07 @ 11:19 AM EST
Now we are blaming the weather for crime. Wow, I imagine that more cops will be assaulted, stores robbed, women accosted, and black students profiled when the temp goes up. (Continued…)
Penn Alum
posted 3/23/07 @ 4:17 PM EST
Ha, this is funny. I was told by my friend's Eastern European mother to be careful when it's freezing in winter because "the junkies really need their fix. (Continued…)
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