A Longitudinal Data Analysis on New Colorado Motor Vehicle Theft Legislation and Crime Increase

• In Event: Poster Session

Abstract

The state of Colorado enacted changes to the statutory definition of Motor Vehicle Theft on March 1st, 2022. These changes in definition lowered the punishment of Second-Degree Motor Vehicle Theft from a felony level offense to a misdemeanor level offense in most cases. Although successful arrest and prosecution of Motor Vehicle Theft cases may lower, I hypothesize the general crime trend will increase. Measuring the Motor Vehicle Theft cases reported for arrests and prosecutions for a set time period before Second Degree Motor Vehicle Theft became a misdemeanor and after, will be analyzed in conjunction with current and past crime trends.

Author

• April Rogers, University of Colorado Colorado Springs