Seeing like private security: Evolving mentalities of public space protection in South Africa

Berg, J. (2010) Seeing like private security: Evolving mentalities of public space protection in South Africa. Criminology and Criminal Justice, 10(3), pp. 287-301. (doi: 10.1177/1748895810370315)

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Abstract

This article will illustrate, by means of three empirical research examples conducted in South Africa, that private security operating in public spaces simultaneously retains ‘traditional’ private security mentalities of loss prevention as well as ‘traditional’ state policing mentalities of crime control and coercion. This adoption of either state or corporate mentalities and technologies is fluid, interchangeable and by no means mutually exclusive, befitting the nature of daily security activities as well as the expectations generated from policing that space. In this way, private security is evolving in its application of diverse policing mentalities in its management and interpretation of public ‘space’; in its ability to wield power both symbolically and actually and; in its tendency to adopt a variety of crime control and social ordering techniques.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Berg, Dr Julie
Authors: Berg, J.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Sociology Anthropology and Applied Social Sciences
Journal Name:Criminology and Criminal Justice
Publisher:SAGE
ISSN:1748-8958
ISSN (Online):1748-8966
Published Online:08 July 2010

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