Title: Victimization During Household Burglary

Publication Date: September 2010

What does it say?

Household burglaries occur on average about 3.7 million times a year (based on data from 2003 to 2007).   Most burglaries occur when no one is home (72 percent). 

Of the burglaries in which someone was home and violence occurred (7 percent of all burglaries), 65 percent of victims knew the robber.  Most people subject to violence were not injured or suffered minor injury (89 percent). Burglary-related homicides are rare, accounting for 430 average annual homicides or less than 1 percent of total homicides (2003-2007).

Approximately 95,460 firearms were stolen in burglaries every year during this time period.

How can I use it?

The Supreme Court recently decided that the Second Amendment confers a right to have a handgun in the home for self-defense.  Public health research suggests that bringing a gun into the home raises the risk of homicide and suicide. 

Contrary to the image the gun lobby conjures up of strangers forcibly entering homes to rob and kill people, most burglaries occur when no one is home and most violent burglars know their victims.  Gun owners are well advised to learn the facts about crime and to evaluate the relative risks and benefits of gun ownership for themselves before bringing a gun into the home.

Citation

Catalano, Shannon, “Victimization During Household Burglary,” Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, September 2010, NCJ 227379

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