Exploring police perceptions on criminal thinking processes related to burglary in Malta

Abstract

The focus of this paper is on gaining a better understanding on police perceptions on criminal thinking processes., in order to offer insight on preventing burglaries using situational crime prevention. Several articles and studies discuss the decision-making process of burglars which convey that burglary is committed for various reasons, with different intents and modus operandi. The study may facilitate in the reduction and prevention of crime in Malta, particularly burglaries. Throughout this paper various Maltese police perceptions regarding different modus operandi of burglary and the reason behind it were acquired. Moreover, it is observed that social, situational, and environmental factors impact the decision-making of a burglar as discussed in the Rational Choice Theory (Cornish and Clarke, 1986). The method consisted of interviews with six (6) experienced police officers from the Malta Police Force. The data gathered from the interviews was analysed through different theories related to opportunity and criminal decision-making, using a thematic analysis. This data was evaluated and patterns in the modus operandi of the burglary were discovered, which assisted in the identification of burglary prevention measures that are considered a way of reducing burglaries in Malta. This study gained an understanding that elderly people and apartments are the most vulnerable targets of burglary locally with drug consumption and foreign organised crime groups being the most common motives. Additionally, it was noticed that Maltese and Georgian burglars commit burglary in distinctive manners.