Conduct Issues in Security Work

Abstract

As the security industry grows, more and more people become subject to the activities of security personnel and the impacts of security technology. As we have seen in previous chapters, industry growth has generated large reductions in criminal victimisation in many cases. There is, however, a dark side to security. Some references have already been made to adverse effects on privacy, aesthetics, convenience and inequality. This chapter examines the problem of illegal and unethical conduct and problems of incompetence. The chapter is structured in two parts. The first outlines 11 categories of misconduct, developed from analyses of scandals, inquiries and court cases. The second part illustrates some of these problems in greater depth using cases on the record in Australia. Overall, the chapter highlights the need for effective regulation of the industry: the subject of the final chapter of the book.