Private security refers to an industry motivated by the making of profits to avail necessary personnel and equipment so as to prevent losses occasioned by human error or emergencies. The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics defines private security companies as those that primarily engage in provision of guard and patrol services. Some of the services provided through private security include prevention of unauthorized entry, access control, theft and fire prevention, roving patrol and bodyguard services. In discharging these functions, private security plays the role of aiding in security especially where the security availed by the state is inadequate.
Private security is also used by government where it outsources security services to security companies. A number of organizations also find it convenient to secure the services of private security providers as a measure to beef up security. This is because most police departments are poorly management and underfunded which comprises the quality of services. In achieving the above set out roles, private security providers may need to partner with other public security agencies by preparing memoranda of understanding which will govern the exchange of information on attendant risks. Private security is also used in community policing by making use of initiatives and strategies to detect suspicious criminal elements and thereby ensure the functioning of the criminal justice system. Private security organizations also collaborate with the state in establishing a prevention information command center to aid in the fight against crimes such as terrorism.
While comparing the various roles of private security in the criminal justice system, it is crucial to consider the different functions that private security firms perform. Members of a private security firm could include a security officer at a major multinational corporation, a computer crime investigator, an armed protector at a nuclear power plant, or even an entry-level guard at a retail shop. Therefore, it follows that private security plays the role of aiding in detection, monitoring, apprehension, investigations and prevention of alleged criminal activities and individuals. To this end, private security plays a relatively similar to the public security agencies such as the police.
In the conduct of their investigations, private security officers encounter challenges which limit the effectiveness of their work. In most instances, private security firms are not considered as law enforcement agencies as would be the case with public agencies. Consequently, the constitutional protection afforded to them in their dealings with persons they are investigating is considerably reduced thus exposing them to legal sanctions. Further, the private security providers have a far much more limited jurisdiction and have fewer safeguards from civil suits that may arise from any interrogations made by its officers.
As already set out, the functions and roles played by private security in the criminal justice system are many and varied. In addition, private security firms are able to provide security over a small geographical area such as an organization and are thus more effective. Further, some private security officers possess specialized technical capacity and are therefore able to protect computer networks, health care institutions as well as financial institutions, a feat that law enforcement agencies may not achieve due to lack of capacity building. To this, extent, the importance and value of private security as far as criminal justice system is concerned, cannot be gainsaid.
Much as private security is necessary and vital for an effective criminal justice system, some difficulties emerge with. Since the primary role of security provision is the mandate of government, private security firms usually find themselves less protected by the law. This brings about challenges especially where officers have overstepped their mandate thus subjecting these organizations to legal sanctions. It is also noteworthy that these security firms have a relatively lesser jurisdiction and also possess powers to detain a person only temporarily.
References
Messenger, I. (2008). Private Security: In the Public Interest? Internet Journal of Criminology , 11-26.
Steden, R. v., & Sarre, R. (2007). The Growth of Private Security: Trends in the European Union. Security Journal , 222-235.
