Halloween Havoc: Did your state make the Top 10 List of Most Vandalized Places?

When this writer was a kid growing up in the Garden State of New Jersey, the night before Halloween was commonly known as “Mischief Night,” an evening dedicated to scribbling on your neighbor’s car windows with a bar of soap.  Those good old days are long gone and have sadly devolved into the entire month of October being party to rampant vandalism taking place.  Sadder still, some states are seeing higher numbers of vandalism taking place than others,

Vandalism is the intentional act of damaging someone else’s or public property. These days, examples of Halloween vandalism reportedly includes ne’er-do-wells out there smashing pumpkins, bashing in mailboxes, overturning headstones, paint spraying graffiti, slashing homeowners’ yard inflatables, damaging Halloween decorations and destroying animatronics.

The Ladah Law Firm conducted an extensive analysis of vandalism incidents across U.S. states using data collected from the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer. This research, focused on vandalism incidents during the Halloween season, represents an average calculated over three years (October 2021, 2022, and 2023) to identify the states with the highest risk of vandalism per 100,000 residents.

According to the data, New Mexico ranks first in the nation, with 99.12 vandalism incidents per 100,000 people, averaging approximately 2,096 incidents per year during the months of October over the past three years. This makes it the riskiest state for Halloween-related vandalism.

Following New Mexico, Washington ranks second with 94.73 incidents per 100,000 residents, equating to an average of 7,369 incidents annually during October. Colorado comes in third, with 80.36 incidents per 100,000 people, translating to approximately 4,695.67 incidents per year.

Other states with notably high vandalism rates during the Halloween season include Delaware (77.42 incidents per 100,000 residents), Oregon (73.08 incidents per 100,000 residents), Kansas (71.68 incidents per 100,000 residents), and Arkansas (68.56 incidents per 100,000 residents). These states have shown consistent patterns in vandalism, with thousands of incidents occurring each year.

States like Missouri (65.89 incidents per 100,000 people), Nevada (64.00 incidents per 100,000 people), and Montana (62.20 incidents per 100,000 people) round out the top ten. Each of these states experiences hundreds to thousands of vandalism incidents annually during the Halloween season.

Expert Commentary: Tips for Reducing Vandalism

“With Halloween festivities approaching, it’s crucial for communities to take preventive measures against vandalism,” said Ramzy Ladah, owner of The Ladah Law Firm. “Homeowners should secure their properties, maintain outdoor lighting, and collaborate with neighbors to stay alert for any suspicious activity. By increasing awareness and implementing proactive strategies, we can reduce vandalism incidents and ensure a safe environment during the Halloween season.”

A Closer Look at the Top 10 States for Vandalism Incidents

1. New Mexico — 99.12 vandalism incidents per 100,000 people
2. Washington — 94.73 vandalism incidents per 100,000 people
3. Colorado — 80.36 vandalism incidents per 100,000 people
4. Delaware — 77.42 vandalism incidents per 100,000 people
5. Oregon — 73.08 vandalism incidents per 100,000 people
6. Kansas — 71.68 vandalism incidents per 100,000 people
7. Arkansas — 68.56 vandalism incidents per 100,000 people
8. Missouri — 65.89 vandalism incidents per 100,000 people
9. Nevada — 64 vandalism incidents per 100,000 people
10. Montana — 62.20 vandalism incidents per 100,000 people

This analysis highlights the importance of community vigilance and preventive measures during Halloween to minimize the risk of vandalism and ensure that trick-or-treaters can enjoy a safe and festive environment.

Below is the table of extended results:

Have a Safe and Happy Halloween Season
(and keep those home flood lights and doorbell cameras up and running)

Methodology:  The number of vandalism incidents reported during the months of October over the years 2021, 2022, and 2023 was retrieved from the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer. To provide a fair analysis, the number of vandalism incidents for each U.S. state was compared to the state’s average population data for the same period. This allowed us to calculate the number of vandalism incidents per 100,000 residents, providing a consistent measure of vandalism risk during the Halloween season.

Source: Ladah Law Firm

Cover photo: RDW Productions

Resources:

• Crime data → https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/explorer/crime/crime-trend
• Gender Population data → https://data.census.gov/table?q=population+by+age+by+state
• Research Vandalism Data:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1d2wqoUdkW_ht8Nb7ysf1oMIqJPJ1VLrHt6XhdEXXROo

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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