NCJ Number
178854
Journal
American Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 23 Issue: 2 Dated: Spring 1999 Pages: 157-177
Date Published
1999
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This study used self-report data from the 1993 National Shopping Center Security Survey to examine the growing problem of crime at U.S. shopping centers.
Abstract
Security managers from 369 shopping centers provided data on crime incidents, private security measures, and numerous shopping center demographic measures. Data were analyzed with LISREL, using bivariate regression modeling. Findings show no direct relationship between the private security measures at the shopping center and the occurrence of property, violent, or public-order crimes on the premises. Instead, private security presence is shaped by the size of the shopping center. Direct effects were also found between the incidence of crime on the premises and the size of the shopping center and the presence of various "problematic" persons (i.e., gangs and loitering groups of youth). Many shopping center managers are placing local law enforcement substations or offices on the premises. Although these tenants do not pay rent, this type of initiative affords the shopping center the benefit of increased public police presence without having to pay the officers' salaries. Further, recent research shows that regular police patrols had a far greater impact on mall motor vehicle theft than did private security patrols. 2 tables, 3 figures, and 45 references