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SaferPlaces Field Initiatives

The Loss Prevention Research Council’s mission is to help retailers prevent and detect theft, fraud, and violence using research to find evidence-based solutions. Our research takes a variety of forms, including inside our lab facilities at the University of Florida.

We also take our research to the streets through real-world studies in actual retail settings. Called our SaferPlaces initiative, our field research is a major part of our efforts to involve businesses in more effective community crime prevention.

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SaferPlaces Field Research

SaferPlaces is an ongoing research program aimed at improving loss prevention strategies within retail environments. We involve law enforcement, experienced research scientists, real-life retail staff, customers, and former criminals to explore how various factors influence loss prevention.

The objective of this field research is to identify more effective methods for deterring potential criminals, reducing shrinkage, and creating a safer shopping environment for customers.

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Building Stronger, More Secure Communities

The challenges of retail crime are constant and evolving. Problems such as theft, fraud, and operational errors can profoundly impact your profits, the safety of your employees and customers, and your reputation in the communities you serve.

The LPRC’s field research leads to improvements that equip retailers to bolster their loss prevention strategies. With these new shields of protection, retailers can take advantage of benefits like a reduction in shrinkage, better asset protection, and an increase in profit margins.
Best of all, our research helps create a safer shopping environment and makes communities stronger.

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Collaboration and Innovation

Our labs allow us to foster collaboration among researchers, retailers, solution providers, and law enforcement partners. This kind of cross-functional teamwork allows everyone to share and learn best practices, develop new partnerships, and advance loss prevention to a wider audience.

Field Research Process

Identify

The process of conducting SaferPlaces Field Research is thorough and methodical. It generally begins with identifying a retail environment to conduct the research — a store, warehouse, or other relevant location.

Implement

Next, LPRC researchers implement various interventions, such as signage, product positioning, surveillance technologies, and more. We then monitor these interventions over a period of time to determine their effectiveness.

Analyze

The results are analyzed using rigorous scientific methods to draw objective, evidence-based conclusions. These findings are presented in an easy-to-understand format so that retailers can implement the strategies in their stores.

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Improving Community Crime Prevention

Community crime prevention requires an “all hands on deck” approach, including residents, law enforcement, and neighborhood businesses. Rather than merely donating money to local efforts, retailers and local companies can become a proactive part of the solution and apply our findings to their locations across the country.

Through field research, the LPRC continues to identify new ways for retailers and company leaders to get involved in keeping their communities safe. We invite you to get involved with LPRC and the SaferPlaces research initiative.

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