NCJ Number
86659
Journal
California Sociologist Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: (Winter 1982) Pages: 88-95
Date Published
1982
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Recent empirical evidence on shoplifting patterns indicates that many more individuals return to shoplifting after an apprehension experience than reported in earlier studies.
Abstract
Cameron's classic 1964 study of shoplifting in Chicago concluded that most shoplifters stopped stealing after an arrest and usually did not recidivate. Because this finding has been cited as strong support for the deterrence theory, it seems useful to examine Cameron's methodology and new research evidence. Cameron used records from 10 large stores to check for repeated apprehensions and Chicago police records. Thus, she excluded thousands of smaller stores where apprehended shoplifters may not have been referred to the police as well as any shoplifting done outside the city limits. A more recent experiment used the self-report method, administering questionnaires to students of four high schools in small communities in the Pacific Northwest. In this group, three communities had large blue-collar populations and one had a university-dominated white collar population. The survey obtained 1,189 usable questionnaires. Approximately 63 percent of the youths admitted shoplifting at some time in their lives. Shoplifting was more prevalent among males and freshman and sophomore students. Most shoplifters were characterized in Cameron's terms as pilferers, taking inexpensive items and stealing infrequently. Responses revealed that 40 percent continued to shoplift after being caught by store personnel and 54 percent continued after being caught by parents. These findings suggest that apprehension had a modest deterrent effect, but is not the major deterrent as claimed by Cameron. Tables and 18 references are included.