Summertime crime in Jersey : with particular reference to visitors to the islands

King, Debbie Aileen (1988) Summertime crime in Jersey : with particular reference to visitors to the islands. University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.

Abstract

The Island of Jersey, in the Channel Islands, is a tourist resort and off shore finance centre. During the summer months of June, July, August and to a lesser extent September, the recorded crime rate increases. It was noted that there was a tendency for Islanders to blame the summertime crime on visitors to Jersey. A survey of the Magistrates' and Juvenile Courts was set up in the summertime of 1982 to examine whether local speculation had any foundation. All defendants appearing before the Courts from 1st June to 31st October who had committed offences between 1st June and 30th September formed part of the survey. A questionnaire regarding length of residence and reason for visiting Jersey was put to all non-natives. The survey revealed that those who defined themselves as visitors of some kind and those resident less than six months committed only 18% of offences. Natives, however, committed over one third of all offences. A number of non-natives had been resident on the Island for longer than five years and were thus accepted by the welfare agencies as `locals'. The native population and these well-established residents were responsible for 57% of the survey response. The conclusion was drawn that the majority of the summertime crime was committed by the local population, though visitors of course contributed to the seasonal increase. In an unexpected way the survey also highlighted the prevalence of alcohol-related offending in the Island, thus contributing towards a growing awareness of the extent of alcohol-related problems in Jersey. The latter was examined in depth and suggestions put forward regarding ways in which the community could respond to the problem.

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