NCJ Number
85313
Editor(s)
D O Schultz,
J G Service
Date Published
1982
Length
145 pages
Annotation
This series of papers on security litigations and related matters discusses concepts of legal liability in security-related matters and practical considerations in security, such as hotel and motel security, hospital security, lighting, and crime prevention and security surveys.
Abstract
The introductory chapter discusses the nature of crime in the United States, noting that much of the official increase in crime is due to improved crime reporting and an increase in population of those in the crime-prone age range. Four papers discuss concepts of legal liability in matters of negligence in hiring security personnel, employer liability for injurious acts and civil rights violations by security personnel, and a business' liability for actions of security personnel provided through a contract with an independent security firm. The discussion of hotel and motel security focuses on crime prevention, perimeter security, internal security, guest security, and security staff, followed by a description of the environmental systems approach to hospital security, which views the hospital as a system of interacting elements operating in a particular social and physical environment. The paper on lighting advises that standards for the proper lighting of various types of areas for safety and security purposes have been established as authoritative and can be used in civil trials as criteria to establish negligence. The preparation for and the conduct of security surveys are described in another presentation, and the findings and recommendations of a particular security survey designed to counter employee theft are presented in the concluding paper. A glossary and case and subject indexes are provided.