Skip to main content
Log in

Private Security: Enforcing Corporate Security Policy Using Private Investigators

  • Published:
European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article focuses on the use of private investigators as external agents, commissioned to enforce internal corporate security policy. After describing the sorts of services private investigators provide to industry and commerce and the legal contexts within which they operate, it considers private investigators as a form of secret police within private justice systems defined by companies. It considers the relationship between notions of public good and commercial expediency and raises important questions about the problem of controlling activities which are purposefully kept from legal scrutiny.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Burrell, D., Presentation on the ‘British American Tobacco Corporate Security Strategy’ to the Association of Security Consultants' Annual Conference, Metropolitan Police Sports Club, 19 November, 1998.

  • Button, M. and B. George, Why some organisations prefer contract to in-house security staff. In: M. Gill (Ed.), Crime at Work: Increasing the Risks for Offenders, pp. 201–213. Leicester: Perpetuity Press, 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, M., Prosecutorial and administrative strategies to control business crime: Private and public roles. In: C.D. Shearing and P.C. Stenning (Eds), Private Policing, pp. 266–292. London: Sage, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  • Croall, White Collar Crime. Milton Keynes: Open University Press, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham, W.C., J.J. Strauchs and C.W. van Meter, Private Security Trends 1970–2000: The Hallcrest Report II. Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  • Draper, H., Private Police. Sussex: Harvester Press, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • George, B. and M. Button, Why some organisations prefer in-house to contract security staff. In: M. Gill (Ed.), Crime at Work: Studies in Security and Crime Prevention, pp. 210–224. Leicester: Perpetuity Press, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  • George, B. and M. Button, Private security industry regulation: Lessons from abroad for the United Kingdom? International Journal of Risk, Security and Crime Prevention, 2(3), pp. 187–200, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gill, M., Crime at Work: Studies in Security and Crime Prevention. Leicester: Perpetuity Press, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gill, M., Crime at Work II: Increasing the Risk for Offenders. Leicester: Perpetuity Press, 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gill, M. and J. Hart, Historical perspectives on private investigation in Britain and the US. Security Journal, 7, pp. 273–280, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gill, M. and J. Hart, Policing as a business: The organisation and structure of private investigation in Britain. Policing and Society, 7, pp. 117–141, 1997a.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gill, M. and J. Hart, Exploring investigative policing: Private detectives in Britain. British Journal of Criminology, 37(4), pp. 549–567, 1997b.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gill, M. and J. Hart, Private investigators in Britain and America. Policing: International Journal of Police Strategy and Management, 20(4), pp. 631–640, 1997c.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gill, M. and J. Hart, Exploring investigators in Britain: The public-private divide. Proceedings from the GERN Seminars on 'Policing and social control in Europe: The public-private divide', forthcoming.

  • Gill, M., J. Hart and J. Stevens, Private investigators: Under-researched, under-estimated and under-used? International Journal of Risk, Security and Crime Prevention, 1(4), pp. 305–314, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heims, P., The Private Security Industry: A Reply to a Home Office Discussion Paper. Leatherhead: Private publication, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henry, S., Private justice and the policing of labor: The dialectics of industrial discipline. In: C.D. Shearing and P.C. Stenning (Eds), Private Policing, pp. 45–71. London: Sage, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, T. and T. Newburn, How big is the private security sector? Policing and Society, 5, pp 221–232, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, L., The Rebirth of Private Policing. London: Routledge, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maguire, M. and C. Norris, The Conduct and Supervision of Criminal Investigations. RCCJ Research Study (5). London: HMSO, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  • Midgley, C., Burger giant sues green 'anarchists': McDonalds launches libel action against David Morris and Helen Steel. Daily Mirror, 29 June, 1994.

  • Reiner, R., The Politics of the Police. Second Edition, London: Harvester-Wheatsheaf, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reiss, A.J., The legitimacy of intrusion into private space. In: C.D. Shearing and P.C. Stenning (Eds), Private Policing, pp. 19–44. London: Sage, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shearing, C.D. and P.C. Stenning, Reframing policing. In: C.D. Shearing and P.C. Stenning (Eds), Private Policing, pp. 317–322. London: Sage, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vagg, J. and J. Harris, Bad goods: Product counterfeiting and enforcement strategies. In: M. Gill (Ed), Crime at Work: Increasing the Risks for Offenders, pp. 185–200. Leicester: Perpetuity Press, 1998.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gill, M., Hart, J. Private Security: Enforcing Corporate Security Policy Using Private Investigators. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research 7, 245–261 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008761528808

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008761528808

Navigation