A Night to be Scary Safe: Jacksonville Criminal Lawyer Weighs in

October 14, 2020
October 14, 2020 5ivecanons

While Halloween may look a little different this year, with everyone wearing some kind of mask, we can count on one thing being the same; crime will spike on October 31st. So, even if you don’t believe in black cats and zombies rising from the dead, it’s still a good idea to take precautions. In this article, our criminal lawyer shares some common Halloween crimes and tips on how to protect yourself, your family and your property.

Our Criminal Lawyer Shares the Statistics

Halloween Drinking and Driving Statistics

  • 44% of national fatal crashes during Halloween weekend involved a driver or motorcyclist with a BAC of 0.08 or higher.
  • 38% of fatal crashes that occurred on Halloween night involved a driver or motorcyclist with a BAC of 0.08 or higher.
  • 23% of pedestrian fatalities on Halloween night included a drunk driver.

For everyone below the legal drinking age, if you are headed to a Halloween party this year please read here about underage DUI laws and penalties. 

Sexual Assault Statistics

  • Every 73 seconds another American is sexually assaulted.
  • 1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime.
  • About 3% of American men—or 1 in 33—have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.
  • A majority of child victims are between the age of 12 and 17 years old. Of all the child rape or sexual assault victims under the age of 18, 34% are under the age of 12 and 66% are age 12-17.

Vandalism and Looting

The hours of trick-or-treating during Halloween night are prime for vandalism and looting. Criminals love to wait until the evening hours when it is dark to vandalize or loot properties. Typically, businesses and commercial properties in general, have little surveillance. Thus, making the dusk and dark hours (7pm-11pm) a prime time slot for these crimes. This year, Halloween is on a Saturday making vandalism and looting even more enticing with businesses gone for the weekend and homeowners potentially staying out later than normal.  

Tips to Stay Safe During Halloween

On a night where millions of kids hit the streets to have fun, criminals turn Halloween into a true fright night. Additionally, anytime alcohol is involved, as it typically is on big U.S. holidays like Halloween and New Years, everyone needs to be scary safe. Here are some tips directly from our criminal lawyer on keeping everyone safe this Halloween.

  • Consider trick-or-treating in the early evening before it gets too dark. Talk to your neighbors to get others on board. 
  • If no one will be home, do not leave your home completely dark. Leave a light or TV on inside. 
  • If you have a home or business security system, test your system. Then, be sure to put a sticker on your front door or place a sign on your property letting criminals know you are recording their every move.
  • If you are trick-or-treating, do not post on social media until you are home. We know it’s hard to resist posting with all those cute kids. But, posting when you are out lets a criminal know you are not home – putting a target on your property.
  • Put away portable objects that live outside. If an object can be moved, it can be stolen. 
  • If you are of legal drinking age and are at a party with alcohol, drink responsibly. Also, be sure to always have a designated driver.

Everyone stay safe, and have a Happy Halloween!

 

Sources:

https://www.edgarsnyder.com/seasonal/halloween/halloween-drunk-driving.html

https://www.rainn.org/statistics/scope-problem

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