Crime and Protection in America - A Study of Private Security and Law Enforcement Resources and Relationships

• NCJ Number: 93660
• Author(s): W C Cunningham; T H Taylor
• Date Published: 1984
• Length: 1293 pages
• Grant Number(s): 80-IJ-CX-0080
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Hallcrest Systems, Inc
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: issued in four numbered volumes

Annotation

This descriptive research report on relationships between private security and public law enforcement discusses the increasing role of private security in citizen protection, including programs and resources, crime prevention, deficiencies in security services and personnel, and interaction with law enforcement agencies.

Abstract

The study reveals that primary protection responsibility is shifting from the public to the private sector, and the private sector diverts significant amounts of crime from the criminal justice system. The private security resources of businesses, institutions, government, and citizens (guards, alarm systems, investigators, armored cars, etc.) exceed Federal, State, and local law enforcement expenditures and personnel. The topics of discussion in this report include profiles of security program content, services, and personnel; an assessment of economic crime impact; police 'moonlighting' employment in private security, response to false alarms, and other problems in police-private security relationships; the impact of security technology; and security education, training, and regulatory controls. Recommendations relate to the more effective use of private security and law enforcement resources to combat crime and to relieve police agenices of their large workload of noncrime-related calls for service. Project research techniques used national and local surveys and interviews with police and security managers, as well as site studies in two urban counties, a literature review, and an economic projection of private security spending. A volume of technical appendixes contains the methodological approach to the project; survey questionnaires and data from national surveys of law enforcement and security managers, national and regional security executives, and field study survey data; key provisions of State regulatory legislation; an economic forecast of the U.S. private security industry; and a list of selected security-related associations. Tabular data are included. (Author abstract modified)