NCJ Number
142678
Date Published
1993
Length
96 pages
Annotation
The private security industry has grown rapidly over the last 10 years, at least partially in response to retail security needs and the increasing incidence of shoplifting.
Abstract
The shoplifting rate in the United States is currently rising at an annual rate of 20 percent. Shoplifting accounted for 30 percent of $1.9 billion that retailers lost in 1984. Yet, the apprehension rate for shoplifters is very low; one reason is that retail businesses do not want to incur liability and associated damage awards for incorrectly apprehending a suspected shoplifter. With proper training, however, retail security personnel can effectively reduce shoplifting losses while greatly reducing the risk of litigation. To facilitate training efforts, the book discusses shoplifting methods, liability, arrest and detention, search and seizure, the Miranda warning, provisions of the Civil Rights Act, and ethics. Training scenarios are included that deal with false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, defamation, civil rights, probable cause, the Miranda warning, search and seizure, and merchant privilege laws. Appendixes contain the American Society for Industrial Security's Code of Ethics and the Miranda warning. References, endnotes, and glossary.