Preparedness of Large Retail Malls to Prevent and Respond to Terrorist Attack, 2004 [United States] (ICPSR 21140)
Version Date: Dec 18, 2007 View help for published
Principal Investigator(s): View help for Principal Investigator(s)
Robert C. Davis, Police Foundation;
Christopher Ortiz, Vera Institute of Justice;
Robert Rowe, American Society for Industrial Security;
Joseph Broz, Midwest Institute for Research;
George Rigakos, Carlton University;
Pam Collins, University of Eastern Kentucky
https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR21140.v1
Version V1
Summary View help for Summary
The purpose of this project was to assess the level of security in large indoor shopping malls. The researchers administered surveys to the security directors of the nation's largest indoor retail malls. The researchers sent letters with surveys attached, to 1,372 security directors of enclosed retail malls across the country, which were at least 250,000 square feet in size. A total of 120 completed surveys were returned. The survey instrument was divided into the following nine sections: (1) Hiring Standards, (2) Training, (3) Security Budget, (4) Human Surveillance Strategies, (5) Access Control Plans, (6) Technological Enhancements, (7) Emergency Preparedness Procedures, (8) Relations with the Public Sector, and (9) Opinions about Terrorist Threat.
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Subject Terms View help for Subject Terms
Geographic Coverage View help for Geographic Coverage
Smallest Geographic Unit View help for Smallest Geographic Unit
none
Restrictions View help for Restrictions
A downloadable version of data for this study is available however, certain identifying information in the downloadable version may have been masked or edited to protect respondent privacy. Additional data not included in the downloadable version are available in a restricted version of this data collection. For more information about the differences between the downloadable data and the restricted data for this study, please refer to the codebook notes section of the PDF codebook. Users interested in obtaining restricted data must complete and sign a Restricted Data Use Agreement, describe the research project and data protection plan, and obtain IRB approval or notice of exemption for their research.
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Date of Collection View help for Date of Collection
Data Collection Notes View help for Data Collection Notes
-
Data from the survey of state homeland security advisers, the site visits to eight malls in the United States and two malls in Israel, and the analysis of state statutes regulating private security are not available as part of this collection.
Study Purpose View help for Study Purpose
The purpose of this project was to assess the level of security in large indoor shopping malls as well as the associated issues of training and legislation of private security forces. The researchers evaluated the degree to which malls had become better prepared to respond to terrorist attacks in the aftermath of September 11, 2001.
Study Design View help for Study Design
The researchers administered surveys to the security directors of the nation's largest indoor retail malls. In 2004, the researchers sent letters with surveys attached, to 1,372 security directors of enclosed retail malls across the country, which were at least 250,000 square feet in size. Initially, after sending surveys that were written on American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) letterhead, the researchers received 32 completed surveys. Several security directors called and told the researchers that they had been instructed by their parent organizations not to cooperate with the survey. These large mall owners were members of the Security Committee of the International Council of Shopping Centers. After sending a follow-up letter on National Institute of Justice letterhead several weeks later, a total of 120 surveys were completed.
Sample View help for Sample
The researchers sent letters with surveys attached, to 1,372 security directors of enclosed retail malls across the United States, which were at least 250,000 square feet in size. The researchers did not observe significant differences in response rates either by size of mall or region of the country (East Coast, South, Midwest, West, or West Coast).
Universe View help for Universe
Enclosed retail malls across the United States having at least 250,000 square feet in 2004.
Unit(s) of Observation View help for Unit(s) of Observation
Data Source View help for Data Source
Data were obtained from mail surveys.
Data Type(s) View help for Data Type(s)
Mode of Data Collection View help for Mode of Data Collection
Description of Variables View help for Description of Variables
The survey instrument was divided into the following nine sections: (1) Hiring Standards, (2) Training, (3) Security Budget, (4) Human Surveillance Strategies, (5) Access Control Plans, (6) Technological Enhancements, (7) Emergency Preparedness Procedures, (8) Relations with the Public Sector, and (9) Opinions about Terrorist Threat. Variables in Section 1, Hiring Standards, include minimum qualifications, background checks, and changes in hiring standards since September 11. Section 2, Training, contains variables on the amount/type of training and how that has changed since September 11, the organization that provides the training, and the adequacy of training. Section 3, Security Budget, includes information on the number of security staff and their salaries as well as the expenditure of funds since September 11. Section 4, Human Surveillance Strategies, contains items pertaining to stated security goals and objectives with respect to protection from terrorist attack, the utilization of undercover staff, the scrutiny of potential terrorists, and changes in these areas since September 11. Variables in Section 5, Access Control Plans, include the public availability of facility plans or blueprints, specific plans to limit access to the mall or to sensitive areas inside the mall in case of perceived threat or change in the national alert level, whether new plans had been put in place and whether the availability of plans had changed since September 11. Section 6, Technological Enhancements, contains items relating to the usage of surveillance cameras, passive barriers, explosive-resistant trashcans, and window film, as well as items pertaining to the detection of biological or chemical agents, explosives, contaminants, and the Department of Homeland Security Buffer Zone Protection Program. Variables included in Section 7, Emergency Preparedness Procedures, include written protocols for security staff, emergency response plans, exercises to rehearse protocols with first responders, and coordination with other agencies with respect to emergency preparedness protocols and procedures. Relations with the Public Sector, Section 8, contains items pertaining to involvement with the state homeland security adviser, state law enforcement agencies, local law enforcement agencies, and the Department of Homeland Security. Variables in Section 9, Opinions about Terrorist Threat, include the importance of various events to daily security activities, the type of terrorist attack that is perceived most likely, and the criticality of various security measures.
Response Rates View help for Response Rates
Of the 1,372 surveys mailed, a total of 120 surveys were completed and returned for a response rate of 9 percent.
Presence of Common Scales View help for Presence of Common Scales
Several Likert-type scales were used.
HideOriginal Release Date View help for Original Release Date
2007-12-18
Version History View help for Version History
- Davis, Robert C., Christopher Ortiz, Robert Rowe, Joseph Broz, George Rigakos, and Pam Collins. PREPAREDNESS OF LARGE RETAIL MALLS TO PREVENT AND RESPOND TO TERRORIST ATTACK, 2004 [UNITED STATES]. ICPSR21140-v1. Washington, DC: Police Foundation [producer], 2006. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2007-12-18. http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR21140.v1
2007-12-18 ICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection:
- Checked for undocumented or out-of-range codes.
Notes
The public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.
One or more files in this data collection have special restrictions. Restricted data files are not available for direct download from the website; click on the Restricted Data button to learn more.