The Effects of Shoplifting on the Community

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The Effects of Shoplifting on the Community

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The Effects of
Shoplifting on the
Community
By Kyrana Jones
eHow Contributor

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Shoplifting may seem a victimless
crime to the one performing it, but the
ramifications of it are more far

reaching than the perpetrator realizes.
The reasons for shoplifting can vary
from compulsive disorder to following
through on a dare. Regardless of the
reason, the results are always the
same and always on the negative side
of the equation.

Other People Are
Reading


Negative Effects of
Shoplifting



Shoplifting Consequences
for Minors

The Individual


A person who steals an item is
committing a crime. The act, under
normal circumstances, should produce

a loss of self-esteem and a lowering of
the individual's self worth in her own
eyes. When the eyes of friends and
family members view the act,
embarrassment and distrust enter the
scene. Society frowns on those who
break the law, especially those who
flaunt their brazen attitude and almost
dare the system to try to catch them.

The Retailer


The loss to the retailer comes in
many forms, the first of which is the
lost revenue for the stolen item. As a
result, the loss must be passed onto
consumers by increasing the price of
goods in general to compensate.
Costly anti-theft programs must be
prepared and publicized to try to deter
the act from happening. Security
measures must be put into place as
deterrents and include surveillance

cameras, security guards and even
electronic article surveillance tags and
their associated alarmed detectors.

The Consumer


Shoppers pay higher prices
because the losses are passed along
to paying customers by the retailer.
The stolen items are no longer on the
shelf for the consumer to purchase, so
their selection has been impacted.
High-ticket items are placed behind
counters under lock and key, which
complicates the shopping experience
just enough for some consumers to
not even bother seeking them out.
Honest shoppers now fall into the
same mistrust category as shoplifters
because they cannot be distinguished
from one another easily by the
retailer.

The Community


To combat shoplifting, the retailer
has increased prices, which may
cause consumers to shop elsewhere
to purchase comparable items at a
cheaper rate. Time spent during that
travel, plus the gas and wear and tear
on the vehicle or simply an increased
volume on the public transportation
system, are all real effects that can be
seen. Loss of shoppers can force some
stores to close, which deprives the
community of a retail source as well
as a part of its social and economic
fabric. Areas with a high percentage of
shoplifting can also force stores to
leave the area and resettle in a safer
environment. Once again, the
community suffers from the selfish act
of a few.

Community Awareness


Finally, shoplifting causes
community time to be spent trying to
resolve issues surrounding it, rather
than the planning of civic projects that
will make a positive contribution to
the community. city council meetings,
police and community relation
meetings and civic organizational
meetings need to spend their time in
a more productive way instead of
being forced to combat a blight that
costs our nation more than $30 billion
annually. Parents should educate their
children that shoplifting is stealing,
and that stealing is a crime against
one's own family and the community.

Shoplifting Statistics


According to the National
Association for Shoplifting Prevention,

there are approximately 27 million
shoplifters in the United States alone,
which equates to 1 person in 11. More
than 10 million have been caught
within the past 5 years. Kids make up
25 percent of the shoplifters; adults,
75 percent. It seems to be a lifelong
practice as well because 55 percent of
adults claim they began to shoplift as
teenagers. When asked, 73 percent of
adults and 72 percent of juveniles do
not plan to steal, they just act
impulsively. An astonishing 89 percent
of kids say they know of other kids
who shoplift and 66 percent say they
associate with them.
Only 3 percent of shoplifters are
professionals, but they make up 10
percent of the total dollar losses. Even
after being caught in the act, 57
percent of adults and 33 percent of
juveniles say it is difficult to stop even
after being caught. Habitual thieves

shoplift on an average of 1.6 times a
week.

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