1. ^aDepartment of Criminal Justice, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 4018, Atlanta, GA 30302-4018, U.S.A. E-mail: collins@gsu.edu
2. ^bDepartment of Law and Justice, Central Washington University, 400 East University Way, Ellensburg, WA98926-7580, U.S.A. E-mail: brittos@cwu.edu
3. ^cDepartment of Education, Central Washington University, 400 East University Way, Ellensburg, WA98926-7411, U.S.A. E-mail: brittom@cwu.edu

¹All the authors contributed equally to the production of this paper.

Abstract

The private security and protection services industry has experienced tremendous growth in the 21st century. In an effort to prepare individuals for the job market, some states and individual high schools have begun to develop public safety programs that include private security curricula. The state of Georgia started this process in 2003. This paper raises questions about the feasibility and utility of such curricula. Working groups consisting of key stakeholders in Georgia including high-school educators, industry representatives, and Department of Education representatives addressed these questions. A discussion of the need for and direction of these programs is grounded in the work products of these groups.