Crime and small business: An exploratory study of cost and prevention issues in US firms

This article is an examination of the levels of crime and the methods of cr ime prevention in U.S. small business. A survey was taken of 422 small busi ness owners from the Midwest and Southeastern United States to measure the level of occurrences of crime, the methods of prevention employed, and the owners' level of concern about this issue. The results demonstrated a consi derable level of activity aimed at controlling crime loss, including variou s forms of training and other security measures. Differences by industry ty pe were also identified.