Grants
To Catch a Thief
This article was originally published in the March 2005 issue of CLASnotes.
Do you ever get tired of outgoing sales associates cheerfully greeting you when you enter a store and then following you around, interfering with your browsing, constantly asking if they can assist you? Well, they are not always out to make a sale or earn a commission, but rather to keep you from shoplifting.
“They try to overwhelm you with good customer service,” says Criminology Professor Richard Hollinger. “The main purpose, of course, is to see if you can be helped. But the more subtle, underlying reason is to let you know if you are a shoplifter you have been seen, we know you are in the store, so please leave if you’re interested in stealing from us.”
Hollinger directs the Security Research Project in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society, and is a leading expert in loss prevention. The project is best known for its annual National Retail Security Survey, which for the past 14 years has polled the vice presidents of security and loss prevention at all the major retail department stores, discount chains, specialty stores, pharmacies and major grocery stores in the US. The survey receives regular funding each year from Sensormatic/ADT, a major manufacturer of electronic security tags and home security, as well as from the National Retail Federation and ASIS International, a professional association of security officers. Individual retailers also support the program from time to time.
In an industry that loses more than $30 billion a year to theft, the yearly assessment has become a way to identify the best practices for preventing loss. “Retailers nationwide lose about $15 billion a year due to employee theft, $10 billion to shoplifting and the rest to vendor fraud and administrative error,” Hollinger says. “None of the property crimes people worry about, such as convenience store theft, bank robberies and household burglary, even come close to these numbers. And compounding the problem is that we all pay for this loss in terms of higher prices.”
In October 2002, Consumer Reports published a story, “The Crime Tax,” highlighting the results from the National Retail Security Survey and proposing that the cost of merchandise would go down if the problem could be controlled. Hollinger says one of the best ways to combat theft is to hire honest employees, keep them as long as possible, and pay them equitably.
“You have to have a very dedicated and alert sales staff, which helps both prevent shoplifting and employee theft,” he says. “A dedicated employee doesn’t have a grudge against the employer so they are less likely to steal. They also are most willing to challenge and counteract shoplifters.”
Hollinger, who earned his PhD in sociology from the University of Minnesota in 1979, first became interested in loss prevention in high school, while working at a grocery store with a rampant level of employee theft and shoplifting. “At this particular grocery store, it was fairly normal to ‘graze,’ or eat your way around the store. Everyone did it, and when I asked if it was wrong I was told no, that it was a fringe benefit. I later found out the manager was stealing whole cartons of merchandise and reselling it and the head casher was embezzling. So it was a den of thieves.”
According to the 2003 survey, the furniture market has the highest rate of employee theft, followed by liquor/wine/beer and cards/gifts/novelties. The markets with the lowest employee theft were camera/photography and auto parts/tires. In contrast, the markets with the highest percentage of loss due to shoplifting were specialty apparel and men/women/children’s apparel. Furniture had the lowest percentage of shoplifting loss, followed by camera/photography and liquor/wine/beer. Graduate student Lynn Langton and Hollinger are presently conducting the 2004 survey.
The Security Research Project also recently completed a shopping center security project and a study of pharmacists who use and steal drugs. In February, a paper Hollinger wrote about a project in which he observed shoplifters in an Atlanta area drug store was published in Justice Quarterly, entitled “Who Actually Steals.” Graduate student Rich Asbell is working on a project, Shopping While Black, which examines racial profiling and harassment in retail stores.
Hollinger says thieves generally have just one thing in common. “Most think they are going to get caught the first time they steal, then they think they may be caught the second time. By the third time they think they are never going to be caught.”
—Buffy Lockette
Grants through the Division of Sponsored Research
December 2004 Total: $2,975,773
October 2004: Total $2,975,773 |
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BAMIA A A |
AFRICAN & ASIAN LANGUAGES |
U S DEPT OF EDUCATION |
$3,000 |
COLLOQUIAL ARABIC, PART OF THE GLOBAL STUDIES RESEARCH AND CURRICULUM |
DERMOTT S F |
ASTRONOMY |
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION |
$7,000 |
HOST INSTITUTIONAL ALLOWANCE |
GONZALEZ A H SARAJEDINI A |
ASTRONOMY |
SPACE TELESCOPE SCIENCE INST NASA |
$18,606 |
DARK MATTER CONSTRAINTS FROM THE MERGING CLUSTER 1E0657-56 |
EYLER J R |
CHEMISTRY |
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION |
$13,532 |
DISSERTATION ENHANCEMENT ACTIVITIES OF MR. JOSE VALLE FOR THE FALL SEMESTER |
KATRITZKY A R |
CHEMISTRY |
EXXONMOBIL CORPORATION RESEARCH & ENGINEERING COMPANY |
$24,503 |
JOINT RESEARCH INTO CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF PETROLEUM |
KATRITZKY A R |
CHEMISTRY |
EXXONMOBIL CORPORATION RESEARCH & ENGINEERING COMPANY |
$16,150 |
JOINT RESEARCH INTO CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF PETROLEUM (AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO AGREEMENT #57821) |
KATRITZKY A R |
CHEMISTRY |
MULTIPLE COMPANIES |
$1,288 |
SOFTWARE RESEARCH SUPPORT |
KATRITZKY A R |
CHEMISTRY |
MULTIPLE COMPANIES |
$360 |
MILES COMPOUND CONTRACT |
KATRITZKY A R |
CHEMISTRY |
MULTIPLE COMPANIES |
$1,263 |
MILES COMPOUND CONTRACT |
KATRITZKY A R |
CHEMISTRY |
MULTIPLE COMPANIES |
$451 |
SOFTWARE RESEARCH SUPPORT |
KATRITZKY A R |
CHEMISTRY |
MULTIPLE COMPANIES |
$312 |
MILES COMPOUND CONTRACT |
KATRITZKY A R |
CHEMISTRY |
MULTIPLE COMPANIES |
$794 |
MILES COMPOUND CONTRACT |
KATRITZKY A R |
CHEMISTRY |
MULTIPLE COMPANIES |
$414 |
MILES COMPOUND CONTRACT |
KRAUSE J L |
CHEMISTRY |
U S DEPT OF ENERGY CHICAGO OPERATIONS OFFICE |
$95,476 |
MOLEDULAR- AND NANO-WIRES: PROPERTIES AND CONTROL |
MARTIN C R |
CHEMISTRY |
BROADLEY-JAMES CORPORATION NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION |
$117,832 |
PHASE II: MINIATURE REFERENCE ELECTRODE WITH AN INVARIANT LIQUID JUNCTION POTENTIAL |
MCELWEE-WHITE L A |
CHEMISTRY |
NASA J H GLENN RESEARCH CENTER |
$80,744 |
IMPROVED CATALYSIS FOR FUEL CELLS, FUEL REFORMATION AND EFFICIENT HYDROGEN PRODUCTION TASK 1: BIMETALLIC CATALYSIS. |
MCELWEE-WHITE L A |
CHEMISTRY |
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA U S DEPT OF ENERGY |
$78,098 |
FUEL CELL AND HYDROGEN RESEARCH |
MICHA D A |
CHEMISTRY |
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION |
$148,225 |
QUANTUM DYNAMICS OF MANY-ATOM SYSTEMS: DENSITY MATRIX THEORY AND COMPUTATIONS |
REYNOLDS J R |
CHEMISTRY |
U S AIR FORCE AFOSR |
$216,246 |
VARIABLE GAP CONJUGATED POLYMERS |
ROITBERG A E |
CHEMISTRY |
U S DEPT OF ENERGY CHICAGO OPERATIONS OFFICE |
$90,352 |
MOLEDULAR- AND NANO-WIRES: PROPERTIES AND CONTROL |
STEWART J D |
CHEMISTRY |
PFIZER INC |
$158,928 |
CHIRAL ALCOHOLS BY ENZYMATIC KETONE REDUCTIONS |
TAN W |
CHEMISTRY |
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION |
$26,793 |
GOAL I: ADVANCED SEPARATION PROCESSES |
TAN W BENNER S A |
CHEMISTRY |
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION CORNELL UNIVERSITY |
$61,314 |
NANOSCALE ARRAYS FOR DIRECT RNA PROFILING IN SINGLE CELLS & THEIR COMPARTMENTS |
CHANNELL J E |
GEOLOGY |
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION |
$76,340 |
MESOZOIC PALEOMAGNETISM IN ADRIA AND AFRICA: SOLVING A PERSISTENT PUZZLE IN ALPINE TECTONICS |
CHANNELL J E |
GEOLOGY |
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION |
$3,870 |
MESOZOIC PALEOMAGNETISM IN ADRIA AND AFRICA: SOLVING A PERSISTENT PUZZLE IN ALPINE TECTONICS |
MARTIN J B |
GEOLOGY |
DEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECT |
$55,523 |
HYDROGEOLOGY OF OLENO STATE PARK AND NITRATE LOADING FROM THE RIVER RISE, A FIR |
MUELLER P A |
GEOLOGY |
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION |
$95,128 |
TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR A NEW ICP-MS LABORATORY FOR EARTH AND OCEAN SCIENCE RESEARCH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA |
SAPIENZA C M |
INST ADV STDY OF COMMUN PROCES |
NATL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NICHD - CHLD HLTH & HUMAN DEV |
$334,250 |
EXPIRATORY MUSCLE TRAINING IN PATIENTS WITH PARKINSON'S |
ALLADI K |
MATHEMATICS |
MISCELLANEOUS DONORS |
$2,030 |
SUPPORT OF RESEARCH & EDUCATION IN APPLIED MATHEMATICS |
DELEENHEER P |
MATHEMATICS |
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION |
$68,911 |
MODELS IN MATHEMATICL BIOLOGY: A FEEDBACK PERSPECTIVE |
PLEASANTS J M |
ORAL HISTORY |
WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS ST JOHNS RIVER |
$26,190 |
ST. JOHNS RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT ORAL HISTORY PROJECT |
AVERY P R |
PHYSICS |
UNIV OF CALIFORNIA NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION |
$118,108 |
U.S. CMS RESEARCH PROGRAM |
AVERY P R |
PHYSICS |
CALIFORNIA INST OF TECHNOLOGY NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION |
$68,261 |
ITR: ASE; INT: DMC: ULTRALIGHT: AN ULTRASCALE INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR DATA INTENSIVE RESEARCH |
AVERY P R YELTON J M |
PHYSICS |
U S DEPT OF ENERGY CHICAGO OPERATIONS OFFICE |
$83,516 |
TASK B: RESEARCH IN EXPERIMENTAL HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS: CLEO AND CMS |
DORSEY A T |
PHYSICS |
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY NAT HIGH MAGNETIC FIELD LAB NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION |
$34,904 |
MICROWAVE SPECTROSCOPY OF 2D ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS IN TILTED MAGNETIC FIELDS |
HIRSCHFELD P J |
PHYSICS |
U S NAVY |
$110,717 |
THEORY OF DEFECTS IN CUPRATE SUPERCONDUCTORS |
KONIGSBERG J MITSELMAKHER G |
PHYSICS |
U S DEPT OF ENERGY CHICAGO OPERATIONS OFFICE |
$137,200 |
TASK H: EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH IN COLLIDER PHYSICS AT CDF |
MEISEL M W |
PHYSICS |
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY NAT HIGH MAGNETIC FIELD LAB |
$5,000 |
DR. JAMES SAULS, VISITING SCIENTIST TO UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA |
MITSELMAKHER G KORYTOV A |
PHYSICS |
U S DEPT OF ENERGY CHICAGO OPERATIONS OFFICE |
$25,700 |
TASK G: EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH IN COLLIDER PHYSICS AT CMS |
MITSELMAKHER G KORYTOV A |
PHYSICS |
U S DEPT OF ENERGY CHICAGO OPERATIONS OFFICE |
$130,640 |
TASK G: EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH IN COLLIDER PHYSICS AT CMS |
RAMOND P SIKIVIE P |
PHYSICS |
U S DEPT OF ENERGY CHICAGO OPERATIONS OFFICE |
$149,680 |
TASK A: RESEARCH IN THEORETICAL ELEMENTARY PARTICLE PHYSICS |
STANTON C J |
PHYSICS |
RICE UNIVERSITY U S NAVY |
$44,288 |
OPTICAL CONTROL AND OPTO-SPINTRONICS IN FERROMAGNETIC III-V SEMICONDUCTORS FOR Q |
KREPPEL A D |
POLITICAL SCIENCE |
EUROPEAN UNION |
$5,671 |
EUROPEAN MODULE-REF. W04/0024-EUROPEAN UNION AND EASTERN EUROPE: YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW |
BURES R M |
SOCIOLOGY |
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION |
$222,565 |
ADVANCE FELLOW/PRESERVATION AND CHANGE: THE SOCIAL CONTEST OF SPATIAL PATTERNS IN A SOUTHERN CITY, 1900-2000 |
KIMBALL R T |
ZOOLOGY |
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION |
$15,600 |
ATOL:COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH EARLY BIRD:A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT TO RESOLVE THE DEEP NODES OF AVIAN PHYLOGENY |
Photo:
Candace Hollinger
