NCJ Number
79608
Journal
Security World Volume: 18 Issue: 10 Dated: (October 1981) Pages: 35-42
Date Published
1981
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Findings are presented from a survey of corporate executives' attitudes toward their security programs.
Abstract
Survey forms were sent to about 2,000 randomly selected corporate executives included in 'Security World's' circulation lists. The forms were sent on June 12, 1981, and by July 6, 1981, 284 usable forms had been returned, yielding a response rate of 14.2 percent. About 47 percent of the respondents identified themselves as corporate vice presidents, while nearly 12 percent were company presidents, and a little more than 8 percent were company owners or partners. Almost three-fourths of the respondents indicated their companies have formal security or loss-prevention programs; however, only slightly more than half said their security programs have resulted in a documentable reduction of corporate losses. More than 70 percent of the respondents said that the security directors of their companies report directly to top executives. The executives identified the ability to build a program to suit their company's specific concerns as the most important consideration in a security program, followed by the reliability of the security personnel. In rating security threats, theft of funds, theft of property, employee pilferage, and white-collar crime ranked high. The companies represented use a wide variety of security and fire protection equipment and services. Other questions on the questionnaire dealt with security funding issues, the use of executive protection, security system performance, fire protection adequacy, and the integration of fire and security systems. Tabular and graphic data are provided.