NCJ Number
119000
Date Published
1988
Length
34 pages
Annotation
This report draws on the experience of a large British retailer -- the Dixons Group -- to present a convincing case for other retailers to apply the principles of "crime analysis" to their crime problems.
Abstract
Crime analysis involves determining the location, times, and characteristics of crimes with a view toward devising measures to prevent them. This book first presents the case for crime analysis by applying it to the prevention of credit card fraud. This is followed by an outline of the wide variety of operations conducted by Dixons and Currys, ranging from the problems of distribution to over 900 individual branches, sales operations, and delivery service for larger goods. Also explained are the broad principles of the computerized systems used by Dixons and Currys to record and analyze reported crimes. The booklet then considers some of the issues that must be addressed in each sphere of operations and how information on each can be accumulated and analyzed. Crime problems addressed are burglary, customer theft, employee theft, theft through distribution networks, and violence to staff. Advice on establishing a computerized data base for crime analysis covers data collection and analysis, the formulation of a system specification, and extension of the scope of crime data bases. Appended supplementary material, 35 references.