NCJ Number
79570
Date Published
1980
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This review assesses Wayman Crow's and James Bull's design and evaluation of robbery deterrence techniques for small convenience stores.
Abstract
The study was a field experiment using convenience stores owned by the Southland Corporation ('7-11' stores). During the study, 60 stores were given crime reduction physical design and employee training modifications, while a control group of 60 stores did not receive any modifications. In order to select stores for the experimental and control groups, the researchers analyzed past records of robberies and financial losses. The study tested the hypothesis that selected physical design modifications and employee training could significantly reduce robberies and resulting financial losses. The study concluded that (1) the stores without security design modifications had more robberies; (2) the socioeconomic status of a store's neighborhood was not related to robbery frequency; (3) the prevention procedures reduced robberies at a statistically significant level; (4) the robbery prevention procedures were effective for stores that had been robbed frequently in the past and for those attractive as robbery targets; and (5) a promising new alternative strategy for reducing armed robbery has been established. A review of the study indicates that the only conclusion supported by the data at a .05 significance level is the one showing that stores frequently robbed in the past had the number of robberies reduced through treatment. Overall, the findings of the study are not sufficient to support the conclusion that the procedures used significantly reduce the probability of a given store being robbed. For the original report, see NCJ 34097. (Author summary modified)