Is the Economy Driving Up Maryland Commercial Robbery Rates?
CNN.com recently published a story on the effect of neighborhood watches on crime. The story cites statistics from the Police Executive Research Forum claiming that almost half of reporting police departments saw an increase in criminal activity that could be related to the economy.
The Heritage Foundation presents an opposing point of view. According to their essay on crime rates in America, criminal activity may not necessarily have any direct link to the state of the economy. Eli Lehrer, the author of the article, claims that making associations between the economy and criminal activity may be a tempting, albeit faulty, way of analyzing crime in the US.
Could the economy be influencing the types of crime seen in Maryland?
Gazette.Net reports in an account that commercial robberies are on the rise in Prince George’s County for 2009. According to the report, although violent crimes in general are down slightly from last year, commercial robberies are increasing in frequency.
This increase comes in spite of Maryland’s punishments for robbery. Committing or attempting to commit robbery in Maryland is a felony, and carries a 15-year maximum sentence upon conviction. If the defendant allegedly uses a weapon or implies that he or she is armed with a weapon in order to commit robbery, the maximum prison sentence is increased.
If the economy is pressuring otherwise honest citizens into criminal activity, then those citizens may be opening themselves up to far greater problems than they have experienced so far. Robbery is a serious felony offense with grave implications for the defendant’s future. Please contact the law offices of Meng & Alpert, LLC if you have any questions about robbery charges. With over three decades of experience as skilled Maryland criminal defense attorneys, the lawyers of Meng & Alpert, LLC have an in-depth knowledge of how robbery, armed robbery and other violent offenses are tried in Maryland. Call 866-444-6363 for a free consultation today.
