Guarding the Body

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-72
Author(s):  
Erika Robb Larkins
Keyword(s):  
Lower Class ◽  
Private Security ◽  
The Body ◽  
Embodied Experience ◽  
Basic Training ◽  
Security Guards ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Security Industry ◽  
Ethnographic Fieldwork ◽  
Private Security Industry

Drawing on 12 months of ethnographic fieldwork in the private security industry, this article focuses on the training of low-level guards, examining the centrality of the body and embodied experience to their work in hospitality settings. In a racially stratified society in which lower-class, dark-skinned bodies are oft en equated with poverty and criminality, security guards are required to perform an image of upstanding, respectable, law-abiding citizens in order to do their jobs protecting corporate property. Guards learn techniques of body management at security schools as part of their basic training. They also learn how to subdue the bodies of others, including those of white elites, who represent a constant challenge to their authority. Working from my own experiences as a student in private security schools, I argue for the relevance of an understanding of the body and its significations to private security work.

scholarly journals “ACCESSIBILITY TO MINIMUM WAGE AND WAGE-INCOME DETERMINANTS: A STUDY OF THE RESIDENTIAL AND NONRESIDENTIAL PRIVATE SECURITY GUARDS IN THE CITY OF AHMEDABAD”

2021 ◽  
pp. 556-664
Author(s):  
Samir Mahajan
Keyword(s):  
Minimum Wage ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Private Security ◽  
Security Guards ◽  
Security Services ◽  
Security Industry ◽  
Private Security Industry ◽  
The City ◽  
And Training ◽  
Wage Income

Demand for security services has exploded both for residential and non-residential premises due to mounting urbanization, rapid industrialization, and expansion of trade and commerce activities in the country in recent years. This has created enormous opportunity for employment specially for the poor who otherwise may have the least possibility securing a job. The private security industry being abysmally informal, it is perceived that workers here are underpaid. As such the plight of the guards have not improved much in this sector. The city of Ahmedabad is one of the major consumersofprivate security services. Income being one of the prominent determinants of well-being, it would be interesting to look into the aspect of accessibility to prescribed minimum wage,and examine what determines wage of the private security guards in this city.More specifically, this paper endeavours to throw light on the probability of access to minimum wage bythe guards at residential and non-residential premises in the city, and examine the various determinants affecting the income wage of the guards. Pertinent econometric modelshave been constructed for the purpose of the study. Result of data analysis shows that access to minimum wage is not universally entitled to the private security guards in the city of Ahmedabad. The study finds that the residential guards has less chance of having access to minimum wage than that of their non-residential counter in the city. However, both education and training have some positive bearing on the wage income of the guards.

Public Regulation of Private Security: A Statutory Analysis of State Regulation of Security Guards

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (9) ◽  
pp. 891-908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael S. Klein ◽  
Craig Hemmens
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Private Security ◽  
State Regulation ◽  
The Public ◽  
Security Guards ◽  
Public Regulation ◽  
Security Industry ◽  
Private Security Industry

Security guards outnumber police by almost 3 to 1, and this discrepancy has been growing steadily since the latter part of the 20th century. Security guards perform many of the same functions as police officers and may even carry weapons, but to what extent do states regulate the private security industry? This article compares the change in state regulation of private security, in particular the requirements for hiring security guards. The provisions of the states as of 1982, 1998, and 2015 are compared and evaluated. We are interested in determining what threshold requirements the states have seen fit to establish for employment in the security industry, and whether these threshold requirements provide adequate protection for the public.

A Statutory Analysis of State Regulation of Security Guard Training Requirements

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 339-356
Author(s):  
Michael S. Klein ◽  
Leah Ruiz ◽  
Craig Hemmens
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Private Security ◽  
State Regulation ◽  
The Public ◽  
Training Requirements ◽  
Security Guards ◽  
Security Industry ◽  
Security Guard ◽  
State Statutes ◽  
Private Security Industry

Security guards outnumber police by almost three to one, and they perform many of the same functions as police officers and many even carry a firearm, but to what extent do states regulate the private security industry? Prior research has examined state statutes regulating security guard hiring requirements; this article builds on this research by examining state statutes regulating security guard training requirements. This article compares the change in state regulation of security guard training since 1999. We are interested in determining what threshold requirements the states have seen fit to establish for training in the security industry and whether these threshold requirements provide adequate protection for the public.

scholarly journals Are Private Security Guards Capable of Protecting Life and Property? Exploring Russian Youth's Perceptions

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 338-348
Author(s):  
Anna Gurinskaya ◽  
Mahesh Nalla ◽  
Diana Rafailova
Keyword(s):  
Strong Predictor ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Private Security ◽  
State Regulation ◽  
Security Guards ◽  
Security Industry ◽  
Private Security Companies ◽  
Private Citizens ◽  
Private Security Industry ◽  
Work Security

In the recent decades private security industry has grown significantly both worldwide and in Russia. In this article we examine Russian citizens, more specifically, youth perceptions of private security guards who come in contact with private citizens. We examine public attitudes toward the nature of security guards work as it relates to their professionalism, effectiveness, and civility. We also analyze the degree to which students are satisfied with the guards work. Data for this research is drawn from a sample of 191 college students attending various universities in St. Petersburg, Russia. Our findings suggest that Russian students are ambivalent in general about the nature of security work, security guards professionalism and effectiveness. Overall, students are satisfied with the guards services or demonstrate neutral attitudes. However, positive contact with security guards appeared to be a strong predictor of their positive views. Therefore, private security companies should pay more attention to the guards training related to everyday interactions with citizens. Findings also suggest that there are group differences in terms of age, gender, and income in their views about the various dimensions of private security guards work. Females, younger people as well as students with lower income tend to have higher assessment of security guards professionalism, effectiveness, and civility. State regulation of the private security industry and industry regulations should aim at influencing the factors that contribute to positive citizens assessments of private security guards.

scholarly journals Human rights violations committed by private military and security companies: an international law analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 753-766 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elzbieta Karska
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Private Security ◽  
International Community ◽  
Human Rights Violations ◽  
Real Problem ◽  
Security Industry ◽  
Private Security Companies ◽  
Private Security Industry ◽  
International Conventions ◽  
Security Companies

Abstract: This paper is devoted to the growing phenomenon of the private military and security industry with respect to human rights obligations. In the first part, it will analyze the concept of a private security company, which is not clear in national regulations and has few relevant provisions in international conventions. The second part will contain a short description of examples of human rights violations committed by private military and security companies, or with their participation, during service delivery or other forms of activity. The third part of this paper discusses possible methods of responsibility enforcement, with respect to the transnational character of many private security companies involved in human rights violations worldwide. One of the most important elements of the discussion in international community should focus on binding international instrument, preferably a convention, which would be able to establish at least very elementary rules for states and international organizations, responsible for using private military and security companies. The international community has witnessed a lot of initiatives from non-governmental entities, also model laws and self-regulations of the private security industry, but still the real problem has not even been reduced. The number of human rights violations has grown. Keywords: Human rights. Private security companies. Liability.

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