Offender Profile: Age
The first involvement in car crime can begin as young as 10, although the onset
of offending for all types of vehicle crime appears to become more prevalent around
the age of 12-15.
In 1998, 33% of those found guilty of vehicle theft were under 18.
A further 30% were aged 18 - 20.
The proportions vary between offences. For example, 57% of those convicted of theft
of a vehicle were over 21%, but the figure was only 46% for thefts from a vehicle.
Age of offenders found guilty of vehicle crime in Magistrates/ Crown court 1998
|
Age
|
Aggravated vehicle taking
|
Thefts from vehicles
|
Thefts of vehicles
|
Total vehicle crime
|
Total indictable offences
|
|
10 - under 12
|
4
|
8
|
3
|
15
|
420
|
|
12 - under 15
|
297
|
158
|
56
|
511
|
9,024
|
|
15 - under 18
|
1,871
|
913
|
261
|
3,045
|
40,289
|
|
18 - under 21
|
1,542
|
1,325
|
351
|
3,218
|
58,938
|
|
21+
|
984
|
2,040
|
881
|
3,905
|
231,603
|
|
Total
|
4,698
|
4,444
|
1,552
|
10,694
|
340,274
|
|
Total under 18
|
2,172
|
1,079
|
320
|
3,571
|
49,733
|
|
Proportion under 18
|
46.23%
|
24.28%
|
20.62%
|
33.39%
|
14.62%
|
Supplementary tables to the 1998 Criminal Statistics for England and Wales http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs/hosb1899.pdf
|
