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Anti-theft procedures and fixtures: a randomized controlled trial of two situational crime prevention measures

Journal of Experimental Criminology volume 8, pages 1–15 (2012)Cite this article

An Erratum to this article was published on 14 April 2012

Abstract

Objectives

This study was designed to test two problem-focused situational crime prevention treatments (protective display fixtures and special high-loss product handling procedures) on loss and sales levels of a perennial ‘hot product’ (premium shaving blade replacement packs).

Methods

The study design was a 57-store location randomized controlled trial using Chi-square analyses and effect size estimates (i.e., odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals).

Results

The study provided evidence that both treatments were both efficacious and cost-effective with fixtures reducing losses by 56% and the procedures reducing losses by 58% in the post-test period when compared to non-treated control locations.

Conclusions

The evidence indicated the tested treatments helped cost-effectively control a chronic theft problem in the test stores. The outcome provided support for using the SARA problem-solving process to apply situational crime prevention measures with carefully articulated mechanisms of action. The relatively small sample size from a single retail operation limits generalizability, but the studied theft problem’s dynamics are fairly common across retail store types and geographic locations. Future research should strive to measure displacement and diffusion side effects as well as time to treatment therapeutic level and/or deterioration to add further insight.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Florida, 3324 W. University Ave., STE 351, Gainesville, FL, 32607, USA

    Read Hayes

  2. Loss Prevention Research Council and University of Florida, Gainesville, USA

    Daniel M. Downs

  3. Loss Prevention Research Council, Gainesville, USA

    Robert Blackwood

Authors
  1. Read Hayes
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  2. Daniel M. Downs
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  3. Robert Blackwood
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Correspondence to Read Hayes.

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Hayes, R., Downs, D.M. & Blackwood, R. Anti-theft procedures and fixtures: a randomized controlled trial of two situational crime prevention measures. J Exp Criminol 8, 1–15 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-011-9137-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-011-9137-5

Keywords

  • Retail crime
  • Situational crime prevention
  • Overload
  • Shoplifting
  • Hot products
  • RCT
  • Evidence-based
  • Loss prevention
  • Mechanism of action
  • Comparative effectiveness
  • Opportunity structures
  • Micro-place

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