NCJ Number
88085
Date Published
1982
Length
21 pages
Annotation
Geared to small businesses, this publication provides practical suggestions for the prevention of burglary, robbery, shoplifting, credit card fraud, and internal theft.
Abstract
The percentage of business receipts lost to crime by small businesses is 24 times the amount lost by businesses grossing more than $5 million. Criminal losses now cause 30 to 40 percent of all small business failures. Available deterrents to crime fall into three categories: hardware, building design, and management. Hardware involves mechanical and electronic equipment that physically protect both premises and merchandise. Building design means structural design aimed at preventing criminal activity. The third category demands management policies aimed at curbing cash and inventory losses, as well as hiring honest personnel trained to help control crime. All three categories of measures may be required to stop crime within a business. If any crime prevention program is to be successful, the store management must first zero in on the sources of losses; burglary, robbery, shoplifting, bad checks, credit card fraud, computer fraud, and internal theft. A list of information sources is provided.