Starrett Protective Service: Private Policing in an Urban Community (From Privatizing the United States Justice System: Police, Adjudication, and Corrections Services From the Private Sector, P 157-177, 1992, Gary W Bowman, Simon Hakim, et al., eds. - See NCJ-137785)

• NCJ Number: 137793
• Author(s): W F Walsh; E J Donovan; J F McNicholas
• Date Published: 1992
• Length: 21 pages
• Sale Source: McFarland & Company, Inc.
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A multimethod research design was used to evaluate the relationship between the Starrett Protective Service, a private security service, and crime prevention and citizen perceptions in Starrett City, a self-contained community of 20,000 people in New York City.

Abstract

Starrett City was established in 1974 and consists of 46 buildings containing 5,881 apartment units as well as parking garages, a shopping center, schools, and a recreation complex. The security department consists of 59 individuals. Study information was gathered from official records for 1984-85, surveys of security personnel and residents, interviews, and field observations during a 14- month period. Findings indicated that without its private policing, Starrett City would not exist as a secure residential community. In addition, the loss of the private police would represent an unwanted stain on the already overburdened resources of the New York City Police Department. The Starrett Protective Service is well-managed and supervised and demonstrates the potential benefits of having a security service as a private partner to the public police service. Tables, notes, and 51 references