An Analysis of the Prosecution of Shoplifters

This article examines the decisions to prosecute shoplifters by Canadian retail investigators. A hypothetical case method that permits a statistical simulation of an experimental design is used. The findings support recent research which indicates that both the value of the item and the age of the suspect are the most important predictors of investigators' decisions to prosecute. In addition, our results identify admission of the offense and the suspect's appearance as important predictors of these decisions. In general, characteristics of the offense rather than of the offender are found to be most important factors in the decision-making process. Further, the results support the argument that investigators' decisions tend to maximize company profit. How-ever, profit maximization is revealed as an unintended conse-quence of these decisions.