Securing Facilities Research Paper

Reducing Vandalism at Shopping Malls

Securing Facilities

Reducing Vandalism at Retail Shopping Malls

What is Perimeter Security?

Perimeter security can be classified as any effort to reduce criminal activity and similar threats to an establishment that concerns the space between the building's exterior wall and adjacent property (National Capital Planning Commission, p. 10). For retail shopping structure perimeter security this would encompass all areas between the mall's exterior walls and entrances, and the adjacent public sidewalks and streets, and public or private property. This typically includes sidewalks to and from parking lots and garages, landscaped areas owned by the mall, public transportation terminals on mall property, mall parking lots and the interior of parking garages, and drives that provide access to parking facilities from public streets.

Contract or Proprietary Security Services?

Choosing between contract and proprietary security services is primarily determined by the security needs of the retail mall and how much it can afford to spend (Allen and Sawhney, p. 433). Contract security services are cheaper, but there is no guarantee that you will have the same guards from day-to-day. In contrast, proprietary guards are assigned to the retail mall for the duration of the contract. The preferred choice would be to hire proprietary security guards because familiarity with the building, trouble hotspots, and the clientele can make a difference in how effective security guards can be in deterring crime.Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)

CPTED strategies to minimize criminal activity within the mall's perimeter could involve changes to the landscaping, structures, lighting, and routes of access. The five basic elements of CPTED in relation to a retail shopping mall are as follows (Carter, pp. 18-40):

Natural Surveillance: the design of structures, entry ways, landscaping, and any outdoor seating areas in a manner that reduces or eliminates hiding places and increases visibility. Improved lighting would also be a critical element. Wall murals and outdoor artwork would also attract the eyes of customers, providing additional casual surveillance that can help to discourage illegal activity.

Natural Access Management: the design of customer access routes from streets, sidewalks, and public transportation limits the choices they have, thereby increasing the concentration of people in defined areas. This can be accomplished by providing sidewalks, fencing, lighting, landscaping, and signs that control access to the mall. Security personnel could then focus on any activity occurring outside of these access routes, since….....