Over the last decade, our policy and resources have been focused, quite appropriately, on reducing violent crimes, sex offenses, and drug dealing. The original Sentencing Reform Act passed by the 1981 Legislature, placed auto theft at the bottom of the seriousness level list, with a rank of "I" and a standard range of 0 to 60 days. What has changed over the last 20 years is both the value of automobiles, and the prevalence of this crime. It is a crime that has significant economic impact on everyone who drives and insures a car in this country.While auto theft by profit-seeking, professional car thieves is a growing cause of the a larger number of auto thefts, the vast majority of car thieves continue to be non-professionals, commonly juveniles interested in the cheap thrill of an easy steal. Usually, most thieves prowl cars for a short term gain and or drive, perhaps to assist in the furtherance of another crime, such as robbery. The majority of offenders are juveniles, unlicensed, and seeking a quick thrill ride and whatever personal property they can take, including car seats, stereos, and cell phones. The average profile of a car thief is someone who has likely committed many thefts and has many convictions. Furthermore, the majority of thefts are likely made by a small number of repeat offenders who continue the cycle. They face weak penalties, even after a half dozen convictions, and stealing thousands of dollars of equipment and causing immense property damage. The good news is that many of the stolen cars are recovered; the bad news is that they are often damaged by the thieves, who rip apart dashboards for stereos, recklessly or maliciously smash the body of the car, or even burn it to remove fingerprints. There are many reasons for the increase in auto theft, one of them being the low chances of being caught. According to the FBI, nationally 14% of all car thefts end in arrests. More importantly are the consequences of bein...
