NCJ Number
57984
Journal
Criminology Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: (MAY 1979) Pages: 100-111
Date Published
1979
Length
12 pages
Annotation
SHOPLIFTING DATA FROM THE RECORDS OF 12 RETAIL STORES IN A MIDWESTERN CITY ARE ANALYZED, AND THE AUTONOMY OF THE STORES' SECURITY PERSONNEL IS QUESTIONED.
Abstract
THE ANALYSIS ENTAILS COMPARISONS BETWEEN MATCHED PAIRS OF DEPARTMENT STORES (DIFFERENT BRANCHES OF THE SAME STORE) IN THREE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES (DISCOUNT, MEDIUM-PRICED, AND HIGH-PRICED), AS WELL AS COMPARISONS AMONG THE CATEGORIES. OTHER THAN THE NUMBER OF SHOPLIFTING APPREHENSIONS BY SECURITY PERSONNEL OVER THE 2-YEAR STUDY PERIOD, THE ONLY VARIABLES REFLECTED IN THE STORES' RECORDS ARE THE AGE AND SEX OF SHOPLIFTERS, AND THESE FLUCTUATE 'WITH ALMOST WILD ABANDON' FROM STORE TO STORE. THE ONLY MEANINGFUL FINDING IS THAT THE SHOPLIFTING RATE IS NOT HIGHER FOR FEMALES THAN FOR MALES. THE STORES' SURVEILLANCE, APPREHENSION, AND ARREST PROCEDURES WERE INVESTIGATED IN AN EFFORT TO EXPLAIN THE NEAR-RANDOMNESS OF THE STATISTICS. A PERVASIVE SENSE OF CONCEALMENT AND SPECIALIZATION WAS FOUND TO SHIELD SECURITY PERSONNEL, PARTICULARLY IN DISCOUNT STORES, FORM COMPANY RULES AND REGULATIONS, THEREBY ENSURING THEM SIGNIFICANT AUTONOMY. TOGETHER WITH THE FINDING THAT FORMAL CHARGES ARE BROUGHT AGAINST RELATIVELY FEW OF THE PEOPLE APPREHENDED FOR SHOPLIFTING BY PRIVATE POLICE, THESE OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST A NEED TO CONSIDER SERIOUSLY THE PROBLEM OF PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS CREATING AN UNREGULATED POLICE FORCE. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)