NCJ Number
62285
Date Published
1979
Length
3 pages
Annotation
THE GOAL OF THIS RESEARCH EFFORT WAS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SECURITY HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESS RETAILERS TO COMBAT ROBBERY, BURGLARY, SHOPLIFTING, AND INTERNAL THEFT.
Abstract
BASIC METHODS EMPLOYED IN HANDBOOK DEVELOPMENT WERE AN EXHAUSTIVE LITERATURE SEARCH TO DETERMINE WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF BUSINESS SECURITY, THE FORMULATION OF AN ADVISORY BOARD THAT INCLUDED RECOGNIZED EXPERTS IN THE SECURITY FIELD, AND THE CONDUCT OF SITE VISITS AT SMALL BUSINESS LOCALES AROUND THE COUNTRY. ATTENTION WAS GIVEN TO FIVE MAJOR SECURITY-RELATED ISSUES: CONSIDERATIONS INTRINSIC TO THE BUSINESS SETTING; FACTORS OF AN ECONOMIC NATURE; CUSTOMER AND EMPLOYEE RELATIONS; COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITIES; AND THE APPROPRIATENESS OF SELECTED SECURITY MEASURES. THE COMPLETED HANDBOOK CONTAINS A SIMPLIFIED FLOOR AND OPERATIONS DIAGRAM FOR A TYPICAL SMALL RETAIL BUSINESS, CHECKLISTS TO AID RETAILERS IN DETERMINING HOW VULNERABLE THEIR BUSINESSES ARE TO CRIMINALS, A BUSINESS OPERATIONS MODEL, INFORMATION ON CHOOSING APPROPRIATE SECURITY TECHNIQUES AND THE DESIGN OF A SECURITY PROGRAM, AND A CATALOG OF SECURITY TECHNIQUES. SECURITY TECHNIQUES ARE CLASSIFIED IN THE HANDBOOK AS PROPERTY LINE PROTECTION, ENTRY PROTECTION, INTERNAL OR SPACE PROTECTION, AND POINT PROTECTION MEASURES. THESE TECHNIQUES HAVE ONE OF TWO PURPOSES, TO MAKE THE COMMISSION OF CRIME MORE DIFFICULT BY HARDENING THE TARGET OR TO REDUCE THE COST OF CRIME BY LIMITING THE POTENTIAL TAKE OF THE CRIMINAL. ILLUSTRATIONS ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)