Effective Shoplifting Prevention Must Include Active Participation

by All Stakeholders in the Shoplifting Issue

Shoplifting is an issue that is most effective and most efficiently addressed when the entire community of stakeholders works together. The actions and approach of retailers, law enforcement and criminal justice are at the heart of these efforts in any community.

Retailers and the justice community set the tone for the tolerance of community crime with regard to shoplifting.

The goal of any community collaboration is to bridge the gaps between retailers, law enforcement and criminal justice by creating a streamlined and uniform response to shoplifting – a response that minimizes the expenditure of police, criminal justice, and retailer resources and maximizes the value of each apprehension in preventing recidivism.

Working with all stakeholders in the retail theft issue gives NASP a neutral and uniquely global point of view in terms of the pain points and competing priorities that often lead to ineffective solutions. Driven by universally beneficial stakeholder outcomes, NASP is best qualified to serve as the voice of the shoplifting problem rather than that of any one stakeholder.

NASP’s experience in rehabilitating shoplifting offenders, its proven-effective programs and its considerable connections to both retail and criminal justice nationwide, give NASP the proven ability to create, execute and maintain sustainable community solutions that reduce shoplifter recidivism to less than 3%.

Shoplifting is an economic and social issue in need of attention. Shoplifters steal from all members of the community by raising prices for consumers, making shopping inconvenient, taking vital tax revenue away from communities, reducing wages for store employees, burdening law enforcement and the courts, hurting the lives of individuals and families, corrupting our youth and undermining crime prevention efforts.

NASP Services include:

  • Creation and implementation of comprehensive, sustainable community solutions with education at every touchpoint including:
    • As a police or pre-trial intervention
    • In conjunction with civil demand
    • In conjunction with trespass orders
    • As a condition of diversion, sentence or probation
  • Consulting and execution of custom, community-based initiatives
    • Ensure community and retail policies are aligned
    • Identify commonalities, gaps, and vulnerabilities
    • Evaluate the effectiveness of existing programs to reduce recidivism
  • Community Coordinators to ensure stakeholder engagement and program impact
  • Public voice for the shoplifting problem and impartial advocate for all stakeholders
  • The Workplace Integrity Project
    • providing education-based alternatives for addressing internal theft & dishonesty

What is the Impact of a More Consistent and Effective Community Response to Shoplifting?

  • An overall reduction in the number of people who shoplift
  • An improvement in the character and conduct of individuals in the community and the workforce
  • A reduced drain on law enforcement, retailer and criminal justice resources
  • A foundation to support criminal justice reform efforts to address unnecessary police contact and reduce incarceration rates
  • A reduction in crime and an increase in store and community safety