NCJ Number
158289
Journal
Journal of Security Administration Volume: 18 Issue: 1 Dated: (June 1995) Pages: 21-45
Date Published
1995
Length
25 pages
Annotation
Findings are presented from a recent case study of an in-house unionized security agency serving a large post- secondary educational institution in central Canada, with emphasis on demographic characteristics, recruitment, training, mobility, and job content of security personnel.
Abstract
Data were gathered by means of lengthy observations, unstructured and semistructured interviews with 29 of the 30 uniformed officers and all six administrators, and reviewed of documents between 1989 and 1991. Results revealed that although most workers are male, the proportion of females and younger agents in the lower ranks is increasing. Younger workers have higher levels of education than older ones, and many possess college or university certificates, often in security. Larger numbers of youthful officer have met recruitment requirements calling for police or security training and experience and, in the process, emphasizing order maintenance and especially crime control over the most traditional security functions of loss prevention and service. The data also suggest that security may be segmented into two distinctive groups: the older, less- educated officers are security oriented, while younger, better-educated workers are police oriented. The second group are enthusiastic about the riskier and more challenging activities associated with order maintenance and crime control. The two groups held mildly antagonistic views of each other. The crime-control orientation of the newer security personnel contrasts with the community policing model and may not necessarily serve the best interests of institutions providing public services. Figures, footnotes, and 31 references