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Just Another Industry? (De)Regulation, Public Expectations and Private Security

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The Private Sector and Criminal Justice

Abstract

This chapter seeks to unravel the complex connections between state regulation, the private security industry and the widespread public expectation that domestic security ought to be delivered exclusively by the state. Its point of departure is the role of regulation as a mechanism for mediating the direct and indirect transfer of state functions to the market. Drawing on a range of sources, the analysis develops insights into the relationship between private security and the state in postwar Britain—a relationship which has become increasingly high profile and controversial following recent moves to contract out a wide range of police functions to the private sector and the failure of G4S to deliver on its London 2012 Olympics contract—but also sheds light on the changing nature of the public/private divide in today’s criminal justice system more generally

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Notes

  1. 1.

    It is worth noting, however, that with the exception of Abrar et al.’s (2000) analysis of domestic violence, the ACF has not been applied to the policymaking process in the criminal justice system. As such, this chapter can be regarded as a useful bridge between these two areas of research. For a list of where the ACF has been applied, see Sabatier and Weible 2007: 217–220.

  2. 2.

    The acronym ‘TNA: PRO’ which appears in multiple references over the next few pages stands for ‘The National Archives: Public Records Office’.

  3. 3.

    Elsewhere (White 2010) I have grouped these together under the term ‘Reformers’. For the purposes of the present discussion, however, it makes sense to separate them into two coalitions.

  4. 4.

    The written answers are: HC Deb (1989–90), vol. 163, written answers, col. 391; HC Deb (1989–90), vol. 164, written answers, col. 384; HC Deb (1989–90), vol. 165, written answers, cols. 869–870; HC Deb (1989–90), vol. 168, written answers, col. 72; HC Deb (1989–90), vol. 168, written answers, col. 86; HC Deb (1989–90), written answers, vol. 168, col. 103; HC Deb (1989–90), vol. 169, written answers, col. 756; HC Deb (1989–90), vol. 170, written answers, col. 372; HC Deb (1989–90), vol. 171, written answers, col. 99; HC Deb (1989–90), vol. 173, written answers, col. 172; HC Deb (1989–90), vol. 176, written answers, col. 119; HC Deb (1989–90), vol. 177, written answers, col. 261; HC Deb (1989–90), vol. 177, written answers, col. 471. The bills are: HC Bill (1988–89) (214); HC Bill (1989–90) (55); HC Bill (1989–90) (148); HC Bill (1991–92) (58); HC Bill (1993–94) (108); HC Bill (1994–95) (170).

  5. 5.

    The regulatory regime covering the immobilisation, restriction and removal of vehicles is uneven in its geographical coverage, for this activity has been banned in Scotland since 1992 and banned in England and Wales since October 2012, though it remains legal in Northern Ireland.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

    Adam White

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  1. Adam White
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  1. School of Law, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom

    Anthea Hucklesby

  2. School of Law, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom

    Stuart Lister

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White, A. (2018). Just Another Industry? (De)Regulation, Public Expectations and Private Security. In: Hucklesby, A., Lister, S. (eds) The Private Sector and Criminal Justice. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-37064-8_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-37064-8_3

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