Car Theft : The Offender's Perspective

Car crime has become a source of increasing concern in recent years.

This study takes a detailed look at the perspective of those actually involved in stealing cars, giving some useful insights into the reasons why young people get involved and how their stealing might be stopped.

The authors suggest that an important element in preventing further problems would be to provide diversions which offer thieves a comparable degree of excitement and interest to that which they get from stealing cars.

Early intervention by criminal justice and social welfare agencies seems central to any preventive action, in order to curb the frequent progression from 'joyriding' to making money from stealing cars.

This study is intended for social workers, probation officers and other welfare agencies, crime prevention agencies and criminologists.