Carjacking

Michael Cherbonneau

Carjacking is the theft of a motor vehicle from another person by force, violence, or intimidation. Although often viewed as a hybrid offense—maintaining elements akin to both robbery and auto theft—carjacking is counted as a robbery in the Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reports because force is used to accomplish the theft. Defining carjacking in this way is problematic because it hinders systematic understanding of the prevalence, distribution, and nature of the offense. Although some states (e.g., Maryland and New Jersey) collect statewide carjacking data each year, most data about carjacking come from victimization surveys and offender interviews. Recent estimates from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) indicate that carjacking is a rare offense. ...

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