NCJ Number
109599
Date Published
1986
Length
48 pages
Annotation
This report portrays a transition from an American society dependent upon public police agencies to maintain order to a dependence upon combined efforts of the citizenry, public police, and private security enterprises to combat crime.
Abstract
Following a general review of the trend toward the privatization of traditionally public services, the report addresses the impact of privatization on law enforcement, with particular attention to California. A scenario for planned and unplanned cities in the year 2000 considers law enforcement patterns likely if we plan or fail to plan for the future. Interviews with appropriate persons consider some of the issues in the development of private security enterprises as a form of privatization. The report then considers public law enforcement's attitude and approach toward this trend. Possible models for public-private law enforcement cooperation are then discussed, with attention to the findings of the Hallcrest Report. The report's most significant finding is that public law enforcement is largely unaware of the trend toward privatization in law enforcement and consequently has not developed a policy toward dealing with it. The study develops a strategy for addressing the issue at the local, regional, and statewide levels. 18-item bibliography, 35 footnotes. (Author summary modified)