Numbers now... : criminal justice in Oklahoma.

              Numbers Now……
Criminal Justice in Oklahoma
July 2011 (Vol. 1, No. 4)
Published By
Oklahoma State Bureau of
Investigation
Stan Florence
Director
Charles Curtis
Deputy Director
Dave Page
Division Director
Information Services
Linda DeArman
Section Supervisor
Data Collection and Reporting
Angie Baker
SAC Director
Carl Grafe
Statistical Research Specialist
In this issue:
Oklahoma Remembers Doug Yearwood,
North Carolina SAC Director
The Oklahoma Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) recently completed the first statewide crime
victimization survey. The purpose of the Oklahoma Crime Victimization Survey (OCVS) was to
generate statewide crime estimates for Oklahoma. Since surveying an entire population is not
practical, researchers developed estimates based on a sample of the population. As a survey’s
sample size increases, the estimates become more reliable. In saying that, keep in mind that crime
estimates calculated from this survey were based on a sample size of 200 adults. Those results
were then extrapolated to the state’s overall population with a margin for error of +/- 8.3%.
Listed below are highlights from the survey. The full report (including the questionnaire and
research methodology) is available online.
  An estimated 500,000 violent and property crimes were committed against Oklahomans;
  23.8% of Oklahomans were the victims of at least one incident of violent or property crime;
  61.9% of victimizations were reported to law enforcement;
  Oklahomans over 35 were more likely to be burglarized than those under 35;
  Oklahomans who had lived at their address for 11 years or less were more likely to be victims
of vandalism compared to those who had lived at their address for 11 years or more;
  Approximately $1 billion dollars worth of stolen or damaged property was attributable to
property crimes;
  For those crimes with a known suspect, over 75% of victims knew the perpetrator;
  Half of all crimes occurred during summer months;
  59% of victims were female;
  77% of known offenders were male;
  Overall, respondents feel safe in their community;
  Respondents are satisfied with the efforts of law enforcement;
  More than half of respondents own a firearm;
  15% of respondents carry a firearm outside their home for protection;
  The majority of respondents (86.9%) support capital punishment;
  Over one-fourth of respondents think criminal justice funding should be directed at prevention
and education;
  35% of respondents believe drugs and alcohol are most responsible for crime in their
community; and
  Over 80% of respondents have taken steps to prevent victimization.
Next year, SAC staff will conduct another victimization survey with a sample size of 1,000; the
results will be available in the summer 2012.
Volume 1, Number 4 Numbers Now July 2011
Identity Theft: Deter, Detect, and Defend
Identity theft is a serious crime. Identity theft occurs when someone assumes the identity of a victim to perform fraud or other
criminal act. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), criminals use several sources to gain access to a victim’s
personal information. Some of the more common ways to obtain this confidential information are:
Dumpster Diving. Criminals look through a victim’s trash for valuable information.
Skimming. Criminals steal debit/credit card numbers by using a special storage device.
Phishing. They pretend to be a legitimate entity (government agency, financial entity, or company) and send email messages
to get victims to reveal personal information.
Hacking. Criminals hack (gain unauthorized access) emails or other online accounts to access a victim’s personal information.
They also hack company websites to access company databases.
Stealing. Criminals steal wallets/purses, mail, pre-approved credit offers, checks, and tax information. They steal personnel
records from employers or bribe employees who have access to the records.
In response to the increased threat, the FTC developed a useful fact sheet for consumers. According to the FTC, managing
identity theft requires a three-pronged response: deter, detect, and defend. Additional information is found on their website; the
link is provided below.
DETER identity thieves by safeguarding your information.
¥ Shred financial documents
¥ Protect your social security number
¥ Don’t give out personal information unless you made the call
¥ Never click on links sent in unsolicited emails
¥ Don’t use obvious passwords
DETECT suspicious activity by routinely monitoring your financial and billing statements. Be alert to the following signs:
¥ Bills that do not arrive as expected
¥ Unexpected credit cards or account statements
¥ Denials of credit for no apparent reason
¥ Calls or letters about purchases you did not make
¥ Changes in your financial statements that you don’t recognize
¥ Inspect your credit report yearly
DEFEND against ID theft as soon as you detect it.
¥ Place a “Fraud Alert” on your credit reports, and review the reports carefully
¥ Contact the security or fraud departments of each company for all unauthorized charges and changes
¥ File a police report
¥ Report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission
For more information, please visit the FTC’s website at http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft
Volume 1, Number 4 Numbers Now July 2011
Publications
Oklahoma Crime Victimization
Survey Report, 2010
Crime Victimization in Oklahoma,
2010
Perceptions of Crime in
Oklahoma, 2010
Oklahoma Remembers
Doug Yearwood, North
Carolina SAC Director
The Oklahoma Statistical Analysis Center
(SAC) recently learned that Doug Yearwood,
longtime director of the North Carolina SAC,
died suddenly on Friday, June 10. This was
very sad news for the criminal justice
community across the nation, as Doug had a
profound impact on the way in which justice
research and statistics were collected,
analyzed, and disseminated.
I met Doug at the 2006 Justice Research and
Statistics Association (JRSA) conference, my
first year as Oklahoma SAC director. He
quickly became a good friend and a valued
colleague. Doug served as President of JRSA
that year, so he was influential in developing
my abilities as a SAC director and member of
JRSA. I will always remember and appreciate
the call I received from Doug in 2007, during
which he encouraged me to seek a position on
the JRSA Executive Committee. While I
ultimately did not win a seat on the
committee, Doug’s belief in me was a powerful
motivator for my future work.
In The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John C.
Maxwell says, “For leaders to be effective, they
need to connect with people” (2007:115). Doug
was an effective leader because he did just that
– he connected with people. Doug will be
missed, but those who were fortunate to know
and work with him will always remember his
contributions to the field of criminal justice
and his legacy of leadership, which started
with his willingness to connect with others.
Christopher M. Hill, Ph.D., Assistant Division Director,
Information Services Division
Coming Soon: Numbers Now, Volume 2
This is the last issue in this volume of Numbers Now. If you
haven’t read the other issues, here is what you missed:
Issue 1: Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Issue 2: National Stalking Awareness Month
Issue 3: National Crime Victims’ Rights Week
Back issues of Numbers Now are published on the SAC website.
Since one of the key features of this newsletter is to spotlight
crime-related National Public Service Announcements (PSAs),
we will change the quarterly release schedule to accommodate
other monthly PSAs. Volume 2 will feature National Teen Dating
Violence Month (February), National Missing Children’s Day
(May), Annual Night Out (August), and National Seniors’ Safety
Week (November).
Reminder……
The Office of Criminal Justice Statistics can assist you and your
agency with statistics for grant applications or any other research
requests. Please visit: www.ok.gov/osbi/Statistical_Analysis_Center
Volume 1, Number 4 Numbers Now July 2011
Baker’s Dozen
Angie Baker, SAC Director
July 11-16th is Fraud Awareness Week. Becoming a victim of identity theft is a real possibility for most
Oklahomans. Below are 13 facts about identity theft. Unless otherwise stated, the following statistics can be
found on the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) website.
1. The FTC estimates that as many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year;
2. Identity theft costs Americans $52.6 billion dollars each year;
3. In 2009, there were 2,633 complaints of identity theft in Oklahoma;
4. Oklahoma ranks 23rd in the nation for identity theft complaints;
5. In 2009, states with the most identity theft complaints were Florida, New York, Texas, and California;
6. The most common form of identity theft in Oklahoma is credit card fraud;
7. According to the US General Accounting Office, victims spend 175 hours, on average, actively trying
to resolve their identity theft-related issues;
8. Identity theft cases take, on average, two to four years to resolve;
9. Not counting legal fees, victims reported spending between $30 and $2,000 on costs related to their
identity theft; the average reported loss was $808;
10. On average, victims reported that six new accounts were opened in their name;
11. About 15% of victims reported that they had been the subject of a criminal investigation related to
the theft of their identity (e.g., bogus checks and bank fraud);
12. Identity theft is rarely a stand-alone crime; In fact, in most cases identity theft is part of a larger
criminal enterprise;
13. For more information, please visit http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft
Mission
To collect, analyze, and disseminate criminal justice-related research to educate and assist law
enforcement and the public in Oklahoma.