Was There More Crime During The Holidays?

People in certain occupations and certain stages of life are noticeably busier during the holiday season, the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, than at other times of the year.  Retail workers’ busiest day is Black Friday, and restaurants are swamped with delivery orders on the day before Thanksgiving.  Postal workers and Amazon delivery drivers are swamped with work.  College students are busy with final exams in the second week of December, while divorce lawyers rest up for their busiest season, which begins on the first Monday of the year, and tax accountants catch their last few precious Z’s before the W-2 forms start to arrive in the mail.  Most people outside these professions don’t realize it, but the holidays are also an especially busy season for police officers and criminal defense lawyers, since certain crimes occur more frequently during the holidays.  If you are facing criminal charges this holiday season, contact a West Palm Beach criminal defense lawyer.

Crimes That Increase During the Holiday Season

These are some common criminal charges that occur at a higher rate during the holiday season than at other times of the year:

• Theft crimes – Online shopping is increasingly popular due to its convenience, but some people still enjoy the holiday cheer associated with shopping for gifts at brick-and-mortar stores. Both types of shopping present opportunities for theft.  Burglaries occur when people break into cars where people have left recently purchased holiday gifts.  Package theft occurs when people steal Amazon packages from the porches of single-family homes or the mail rooms of apartment buildings.  Shoplifting is also common at retail stores during the busiest shopping days of the year.
• Fraud crimes – Online shopping generates an enormous volume of email receipts, and it is easy for phishing scams to imitate these emails in an effort to deceive consumers into disclosing their credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, or bank account information. Likewise, fraudulent transactions increase during the holiday season for both in-person and online transactions.  Therefore, the holidays are the peak season for identity theft and credit card fraud.
• Domestic violence – The holidays are a minefield for family conflict, and this is reflected in the number of domestic violence arrests during the holiday season. These crimes include assault, battery, stalking, and violation of restraining orders.
• Drunk driving – The alcohol flows freely at many holiday gatherings, and not only do people drink more during the holidays, but they also drive more. All of this means that there are more DUI arrests and alcohol-related collisions during the holidays than at other times.

What does not change during the holidays is the rights of defendants in criminal cases.  You have the right to representation by an attorney in your case, even if you were arrested on a federal holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Contact a West Palm Beach Criminal Defense Lawyer Today

Attorney William Wallshein has more than 38 years of experience, including five years as a prosecutor in Palm Beach County.  Contact William Wallshein P.A. in West Palm Beach, Florida to discuss your case.

Source:

nhtsa.gov/drunk-driving/drive-sober-or-get-pulled-over-1