NCJ Number
103949
Date Published
1986
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This British case study demonstrates how crime analysis guided the selection of measures to prevent juvenile shoplifting in a London music store.
Abstract
Because of the store's high rate of arrests and the attendant costs of case processing, crime analysis was used to facilitate the selection of measures that would deter shoplifting attempts. An analysis of store security records determined the types of items most often shoplifted, their location in the store, offender characteristics, and shoplifting methods. Based on the findings, the police proposed preventive measures in the areas of layout and design, security systems, security staff, deterrent publicity, and general management. Layout suggestions included the location of the types of items most often stolen in one high-security area. Suggestions for the security system focused on encasing each cassette (item type most often stolen) in the high-theft areas with a large plastic grip removed at the sale desk and improvement in the sealing of shopping bags containing legitimate purchases. Other preventive options included the deployment of uniformed instead of plainsclothes officers, prominent notices about security measures, the monitoring and revision of prevention strategies, and the preemptive warning of customers behaving suspiciously. 3 tables, a list of suspicious behaviors, and 6 references. For a study summary, see NCJ 104278.