1. ¹School of Criminology, Griffith University, Brisbane, 4111, Australia
2. ²School of International Business, University of South Australia, Adelaide, 5000, Australia

Abstract

This paper reports on the first national survey of legislation regulating the security industry in Australia. In addition to estimating the size of the industry, an assessment was made of legislative statutes and enforcement strategies. The survey found that the industry was up to three times the numerical strength of the police. There was a trend towards comprehensive licensing of security occupations, primarily through controls on entry by criminal record checks and minimum training requirements. However, there was significant inconsistency between the eight jurisdictions. Strategies for monitoring the conduct of licensed personnel were relatively passive, relying largely on complaints. The authors argue that the industry and consumers could greatly benefit from a unified national system, with the implementation of more proactive forms of compliance monitoring and professional development.