Security in a Recession

Reported February 2009

Economic uncertainty is continuing to make people cautious about short to medium term prospects, not helped by the relentlessly negative messages put out by the media. However, weather forecasts are frequently completely wide of the mark and economic predictions can also be misleading. Recognising that there are concerns, the BSIA have put out a message reminding every-one that reducing security budgets to save on costs can have an adverse effect: 
“According to recent media reports, some local authorities may be contemplating cutting back on their proactive CCTV monitoring provision. Such a decision should not be taken lightly. A withdrawal of funding will leave town and city centres vulnerable to what can be serious incidents to which a CCTV operative could previously have quickly responded" Pauline Norstrom, BSIA CCTV Section Chairman, 9th January 2009

The Home Office is already anticipating a sharp rise in crime rate following an increase in unemployment across the UK. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the jobless figure rose to 6.1% between September 2008 and November 2008, the highest level of unemployment since April 1999. (ONS, 21 January 2009). There is no doubt that there is, unfortunately, a strong relationship between unemployment and crime rate and this is not the best possible time for a reduction in vigilance to prevent burglaries, vandalism and any other form of criminal behaviour. 

“Stringent” security measures are recommended by the BSIA to not only prevent but also to eliminate the financial, emotional and physical effects resulting from becoming a victim of crime. Bold’s Managing Director, Brian Kelly comments: “In my view, security investment is subject to consciousness of security risk as well as economic cycles. Because of what people are finding happening to themselves and the intense media attention on economic hardship, many feel the top priority is to preserve cash and cut back. If, heaven forbid, there is a terrorist attack in the UK or some other high profile major incident, there may well be an immediate shift in priorities. It would be a shame if it took such an incident to re-focus every-ones’ mind toward security.” 
for more information please click on the links below:
BSIA: Effective security is imperative during economic instability, BSIA, 09/01/2009
Quartily crime statistics released. Home Office, 22/01/2009
Unemployment rate rises to 6.1%, Office for National Statistics, 21/01/2009