ABSTRACT
Throughout the book emphasis has been placed on government or public policing, particular policing taking place within a local metropolitan area. However, the amount of money spent on private security or policing has increased sharply over the last twenty years. For every dollar spent on traditional public policing, more than two dollars is spent on private policing and security (Joh 2004; Shearing and Stenning 1981). Private policing is pervasive and it takes many forms, including uniformed guards in shopping malls and gated communities, security services for business and industry, home security services, loss prevention professionals, especially those working for large retailers, and private investigative agencies. We will follow Joh (2004, p. 55) in defining private policing as
…lawful forms of organized, for-profit personnel services whose primary objectives include the control of crime, the protection of property and life, and the maintenance of order.
