Measuring and Controlling Employee Theft - A National Assessment of the State-of-the-Art

• NCJ Number: 88560
• Journal: Journal of Security Administration Volume: 5 Issue: 2 Dated: (1982) Pages: 67-80
• Author(s): D P Rosenbaum; T L Baumer
• Date Published: 1983
• Length: 14 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Little is known about the nature and extent of employee theft and the effectiveness of current loss prevention activities, because of the lack of scientifically conducted research and program evaluation studies.

Abstract

The failure of businesses to use their existing recordkeeping systems has further contributed to the problem of the lack of reliable information. Research is needed to aid both public and private policy analysis. Multiple measures and efforts to refine and validate self-report methodologies would be particularly helpful. Businesses should share aggregate theft data among themselves and with researchers, since the secrecy surrounding employee theft information both hampers better understanding and encourages employee theft. Scientifically acceptable evaluations are needed to determine the effectiveness of current strategies to deter employee theft. Good measurement is essential to this endeavor. Decisions regarding loss prevention programs should rest on empirical information. Footnotes and 25 references are supplied.