Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Property of Fayard Hall: a pilot study on situational theft prevention on the university campus

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Crime Prevention and Community Safety Aims and scope

Abstract

For the past three decades, property crime has been the single largest form of victimization reported to campus police and security. While prior research has focused extensively on improving security in high-theft areas around campus, surprisingly little attention has been paid to efforts at fortifying the targets of theft themselves. To address this gap, the present study employed a completely randomized experimental design testing the effect of an anti-theft strategy against a control strategy on property loss among 22 university classrooms. Compared to classrooms receiving property labeled with an anti-theft message, classrooms receiving property without such labels were significantly more likely (OR 20.25; 95% CI 2.32–176.80) to have their property removed. While these results are still in the pilot phase, they suggest that universities and colleges should identify their property, indicating to whom it belongs, if they wish to reduce property loss.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Babbie, E.R. 2013. The practice of social research. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bachman, R.D., and R. Paternoster. 2017. Statistics for criminology and criminal justice. London: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birkbeck, C., and G. LaFree. 1993. The situational analysis of crime and deviance. Annual Review of Sociology 19(1): 113–137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman University. 2018. Public safety programs. Retrieved October 19, 2018, from https://www.chapman.edu/campus-services/public-safety/programs/index.aspx.

  • Christensen, R. 1996. Analysis of variance, design and regression: Applied statistical methods. London: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, R.V. 1983. Situational crime prevention: Its theoretical basis and practical scope. Crime and Justice. 4: 225–256.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, R.V. 1992. Introduction. In Situational crime prevention: Successful case studies, ed. R.V. Clarke. Albany, NY: Harrow and Heston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, R.V. 1997. Situational crime prevention. Monsey, NY: Criminal Justice Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, R. V. 1999. Hot products: Understanding, anticipating and reducing demand for stolen goods. London: Home Office, Police Research Series, Paper 112.

  • Clarke, R.V. 2000. Hot products: A new focus for crime prevention. In Secure foundations: Key issues in crime prevention, crime reduction and community safety, ed. S. Ballintyne, K. Pease, and V. McLaren. London: Institute for Public Policy Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarin, B.-M., E. Bitzilekis, B.M. Siemers, and H.R. Goerlitz. 2014. Personal messages reduce vandalism and theft of unattended scientific equipment. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 5(2): 125–131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, L.E., and M. Felson. 1979. Social change and crime rate trends: A routine activity approach. American Sociological Review 44(4): 588–608.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, L.E., M. Felson, and K.C. Land. 1980. Property crime rates in the United States: A macrodynamic analysis, 1947–1977; with ex ante forecasts for the mid-1980s. American Journal of Sociology 86(1): 90–118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cornish, D.B., and R.V. Clarke. 2003. Opportunities, precipitators and criminal decisions: A reply to Wortley’s critique of situational crime prevention. Crime Prevention Studies 16: 4196.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cusson, M. 1993. A strategic analysis of crime: Criminal tactics as responses to pre-criminal situations. In Routine activity and rational choice. Advances in criminological theory, vol. 5, ed. R.V. Clarke and M. Felson. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • del Carmen, A., and P. Stretesky. 1997. Environmental characteristics associated with theft from vehicles in campus parking lots. Journal of Security Administration 20(2): 15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eck, J.E., R.V. Clarke, and R.T. Guerette. 2007. Risky facilities: Crime concentration in homogeneous sets of establishments and facilities. Imagination for Crime Prevention 21: 225–264.

    Google Scholar 

  • Felson, M., and R. Boba. 2009. Crime and every day life. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fanno, C.M. 1997. Situational crime prevention: Techniques for reducing bike theft at Indiana University, Bloomington. Journal of Security Administration 20(2): 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farrington, D.P., S. Bowen, A. Buckle, T. Burns-Howell, J. Burrows, and M. Speed. 1993. An experiment on the prevention of shoplifting. Crime Prevention Studies 1: 93–119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Felson, M., and R.V. Clarke. 1998. Opportunity makes the thief—Practical theory for crime prevention. London: Home Office, Policing and Reducing Crime Unit.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fennelly, L., C. Lonero, D. Neudeck, and C. Vossmer. 1992. Bicycle theft—Back to basics. Campus Law Enforcement Journal 22(1): 37–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, B.S., J.J. Sloan, F.T. Cullen, and C. Lu. 1997. The on-campus victimization patterns of students: Implications for crime prevention by students and post-secondary institutions. In Crime prevention at a crossroads, ed. S.P. Lab. Cincinnati, OH: Anderson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, B.S., J.J. Sloan, F.T. Cullen, and C. Lu. 1998. Crime in the ivory tower: The level and sources of student victimization. Criminology 36(3): 671–710.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hardin, G. 1968. The tragedy of the commons. Science 162(3859): 1243–1248.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, R., and D.M. Downs. 2011. Controlling retail theft with CCTV domes, CCTV public view monitors, and protective containers: A randomized controlled trial. Security Journal 24(3): 237–250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Higgins, J.J. 2003. Introduction to modern nonparametric statistics. California: Duxbury Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeffrey, C.R. 1971. Crime prevention through environmental design. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, S.D., A. Sidebottom, and A. Thorpe. 2008. Bicycle theft. Washington, DC: US Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kansas State University. 2018. Campus Safety. Retrieved October 19, 2018, from https://www.k-state.edu/studentlife/campussafety/.

  • Kuehl, R.O. 2000. Design of experiments: Statistical principles of research design and analysis. Brooks/Cole: Duxbury Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Massey, J.L., M.D. Krohn, and L.M. Bonati. 1989. Property crime and the routine activities of individuals. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 26(4): 378–400.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mateus, A. M., and J. M. Peha. 2009 Characterizing digital media exchanges in a university campus network. In Telecommunications Policy Research Conference (TPRC). September.

  • Miethe, T.D., M.C. Stafford, and J.S. Long. 1987. Social differentiation in criminal victimization: A test of routine activities/lifestyle theories. American Sociological Review 52(2): 184–194.

    Google Scholar 

  • Messner, S.F., and J.R. Blau. 1987. Routine leisure activities and rates of crime: A macro-level analysis. Social Forces 65(4): 1035–1052.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nettle, D., K. Nott, and M. Bateson. 2012. ‘Cycle thieves, we are watching you’: Impact of a simple signage intervention against bicycle theft. PLoS ONE 7(12): e51738.

    Google Scholar 

  • Office for Victims of Crime. 2017. National crime victims’ rights week resource guide: Crime and victimization fact sheet. Washington, DC.

  • Osgood, D.W., J.K. Wilson, P.M. O’Malley, J.G. Bachman, and L.D. Johnston. 1996. Routine activities and individual deviant behavior. American Sociological Review 61(4): 635–655.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pires, S., and R.V. Clarke. 2012. Are parrots CRAVED? An analysis of parrot poaching in Mexico. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 49(1): 122–146.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pires, S.F., and W.D. Moreto. 2011. Preventing wildlife crimes: Solutions that can overcome the ‘Tragedy of the Commons’. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research 17(2): 101–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roethlisberger, F.J., and W.J. Dickson. 1939. Management and the Worker. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roncek, D.W., and P.A. Maier. 1991. Bars, blocks, and crimes revisited: Linking the theory of routine activities to the empiricism of “hot spots”. Criminology 29(4): 725–753.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seng, M. 1996. Theft on campus: An analysis of larceny-theft at an urban university. Journal of Crime and Justice 19(1): 33–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simmons, H. 2018. A framework for the analysis and management of library security issues applied to patron-property theft. Journal of Academic Librarianship 44(2): 279–286.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sloan, J.J. 1994. The correlates of campus crime: An analysis of reported crimes on college and university campuses. Journal of Criminal Justice 22(1): 51–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sloan, J.J., B.S. Fisher, and D.L. Wilkins. 1995. Crime, fear of crime, and related issues on the U.A.B. campus: Final Report. Birmingham, AL: University of Alabama Birmingham.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, B.T. 2018. Understanding shoplifting of fast-moving consumer goods: An application of the CRAVED model. Security Journal 31(2): 428–450.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, B.T., and R.V. Clarke. 2015. Shoplifting of everyday products that serve illicit drug uses. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 52(2): 245–269.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, C., K.J. Bowers, and S.D. Johnson. 2006. Understanding bag theft within licensed premises in Westminster: Identifying initial steps towards prevention. Security Journal 19(1): 3–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Southeastern Louisiana University. 2018. Safe Campus.

  • Sung, J.S., and B.P. Tolppanen. 2013. Do library fines work? Analysis of the effectiveness of fines on patron’s return behavior at two mid-sized academic libraries. The Journal of Academic Librarianship 39(6): 506–511.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tseng, C.-H., J. Duane, and F. Hadipriono. 2004. Performance of campus parking garages in preventing crime. Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities 18(1): 21–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitehead, S., J. Mailley, I. Storer, J. McCardle, G. Torrens, and G. Farrell. 2008. In safe hands: A review of mobile phone anti-theft designs. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research 14(1): 39–60.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the secretaries and department heads from the departments of Sociology and Criminal Justice, Political Science and History, and Mathematics for generously providing this study with access to their classrooms.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, FAY356A Fayard Hall, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA, 70402, USA

    William A. Chernoff

Authors
  1. William A. Chernoff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to William A. Chernoff.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chernoff, W.A. Property of Fayard Hall: a pilot study on situational theft prevention on the university campus. Crime Prev Community Saf 22, 33–48 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41300-019-00080-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41300-019-00080-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation