TEACH CHILDREN the CONSEQUENCES of SHOPLIFTING

Shoplifting across the country is on the rise. Of the 23 million shoplifters in the US, 25% are children under 18 years of age.

Shoplifting is a common element in the criminal history of countless inmates and drug addicts. Yet many young people view shoplifting as just a harmless game with no consequences.

But shoplifting is not harmless.

It impacts not only the child and the retailer, but also the family, law enforcement professionals, honest consumers and the community. It can result in the child having a juvenile record and limit their job opportunities. Juvenile shoplifters don’t usually think about these consequences before shoplifting. That’s why we’ve developed Shoplifting IS Stealing!™

Alarming Facts About Shoplifting

  • Shoplifters steal over $20 billion worth of goods from retailers each year.
  • Shoplifting is America’s #1 property crime.
  • 1 in 11 people shoplift. (There are approximately 23 million shoplifters in the US. )
  • 25% of these shoplifters are children. (That’s 5,750,000 children who are facing a life of crime.)
  • 55% of adult shoplifters say they started shoplifting in their teens.
  • 86% of kids say they know other kids who shoplift. 66% say they hang out with those kids
  • 47% of high school students have shoplifted within the past year.
  • Shoplifting often leads to more serious juvenile crime.
  • Shoplifting spans all economic and cultural conditions.
  • The vast majority of shoplifters are individuals who shoplift not because of financial pressures, but because of social, peer and personal pressure.
  • The costs related to shoplifting are absorbed by the honest consumer who pays higher prices to cover the loss of merchandise, loss prevention measures, etc.

    Sources: National Association of Shoplifting Prevention; "Why Do Shoplifters Steal?" by Peter Berlin; USA Weekend, Oct 16-18, 1998; Today's Coverage, May 26, 1998; Retail Theft Trends Report: A Snapshot of America, by Read Hayes, 1998.

The Shoplifting IS Stealing!™ program offers a 20-minute CD or DVD supported by related materials to teach children the consequences of shoplifting. Research shows that successful shoplifting prevention is achieved through early intervention and through the integrated efforts of parents, law enforcement professionals, educators, retailers, churches, families, friends and honest consumers. Members of this Circle of Influence can have a profound effect on helping children understand the consequences of making a choice to shoplift.

Early intervention is critical to prevent shoplifting. That's why Shoplifting IS Stealing!™ targets children in grades 3 through junior high. The compelling story of Shoplifting IS Stealing™ is also suitable for other age groups. It has been successfully used with high school students…parent groups…service clubs… chambers of commerce…merchant organizations.

Shoplifting IS Stealing!™ offers two different programs

  1. FAMILY PROGRAM for parents, grandparents or others to use individually with children.
  2. COMMUNITY PROGRAM for organizations in the community, such as schools, law enforcement, libraries, service organizations, chambers of commerce, etc. to use with groups of children.

A 20-minute lesson - A lifetime of impact

Shoplifting IS Stealing!™ teaches viewers the cold, hard facts about the widespread, costly crime of shoplifting. The story unfolds through the eyes of 17-year-old Brian, a star athlete and good student who is in a holding cell after being charged with his fourth shoplifting offense. Because of the circumstances surrounding the latest offense, Brian is now facing adult court - and the possible ruin of his college dreams. Brian tells his cellmate how he got caught up in the spiraling web of juvenile shoplifting and how he landed in the holding cell.

Brian flashes back over four different shoplifting incidents beginning with the simple act of stealing candy when he was 11, giving in to peer pressure by stealing a CD when he was 12, stealing a necklace for a girlfriend’s birthday gift at 16 and finally at 17 being apprehended with a group of friends for stealing from a convenience store. The story includes the emotional, social and legal impact that these shoplifting incidents had on him, his friends and his family. The story teaches children (and adults) that:

  • Shoplifting is stealing – not a game.
  • Stealing is a crime with legal consequences.
  • Shoplifting can negatively affect their lives - resulting in embarrassment, court fees, fines, even a criminal record.
  • Shoplifting costs their parents, retailers, honest consumers and the community.
  • Teach children the consequences of shoplifting. Order today.

Shoplifting costs retailers and honest consumers over $20 billion a year in losses, loss prevention and increased prices. It can lead children down the path of juvenile crime. You are uniquely positioned to teach children the consequences of shoplifting. Order Shoplifting IS Stealing™ now by clicking on the button below.

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Click here to view a Video from Judy on the consequences of shoplifting.

 
    
 

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