The Alaska Justice Statistical Center shared some surprising stats about burglaries. In July 2014, the University of Alaska in Anchorage discovered that home burglaries dropped over 70% since 1985. Business break-ins saw an even bigger dip of more than 80%. All in all, burglaries plunged by 65% between 1985 and 2012. Experts believe the population growth played a part in this trend. But here’s the thing: the decline appears in percentages, not just sheer numbers. This means burglaries decreased quicker than the population grew. Improvements like better alarm systems, more police presence, and clever strategies are making a big difference.
The report revealed that there was over 1,000 burglaries per 100,000 people in 1985, but in 2012 there were less than 500 per the same amount. The population explanation can also be valid if more honest people moved into the state than burglars.
Identifying the exact reason for the decline was not part of the report, but citizens and law enforcement can draw their own conclusions through discussion. Experts also note that as many as 66% of burglaries go unreported, so the statistics do not depict an actual state of crime in Alaska. Burglaries may go unreported because illegal goods were stolen, there is illegal activity in the house, or maybe the burglar was a relative that is addicted to drugs. The report did reveal that home invasions at night were dropping off and burglaries are much less common during the winter months.