Common past - different paths: Exploring state regulation of private security industry in Eastern Europe and post-Soviet republics

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we explore the nature of the security guard industry with a focus on security guard employment relative to police officer, the diverse legislative guidelines pertaining to the scope of their functions, employment eligibility, training, and legal powers in the new independent and post-socialist countries in Eastern Europe and post-Soviet republics. Findings suggest that despite the rapid proliferation of private security industry in the post-socialist countries relative to the gradual growth experienced in the European continent in many of the new independent states, public police continue to play a critical role in the form of employees of state-owned security guard companies. Further, we find considerable disparity in the employment ratios of police officers and security guards in these countries though not much variation in the rigor of legislative framework for private security guard employment in the post-socialist nations appeared, which was minimal at best.

KEYWORDS:

• Private security
• security guards
• security guard regulations
• private police
• guard industry training
• post-socialist countries

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mahesh K. Nalla

Mahesh K. Nalla is Professor of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, USA.  His current research projects are focused in two areas in emerging and transitional democracies: Governance, legitimacy, and social regulation (public & private policing) and, gendered spaces, victimization, and public health. He had coordinated and led a global project firearm related violence prevention programs for the United Nations that covered over 180 countries. His research appeared in leading journals that include the Journal of Research and Crime and Delinquency, Justice Quarterly, and European Journal of Criminology, among others.

Anna Gurinskaya

Mahesh K. Nalla is Professor of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, USA.  His current research projects are focused in two areas in emerging and transitional democracies: Governance, legitimacy, and social regulation (public & private policing) and, gendered spaces, victimization, and public health. He had coordinated and led a global project firearm related violence prevention programs for the United Nations that covered over 180 countries. His research appeared in leading journals that include the Journal of Research and Crime and Delinquency, Justice Quarterly, and European Journal of Criminology, among others.

Anna Gurinskaya holds a joint appointment as an associate professor at the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences, St. Petersburg State University and at the Faculty of Law, Russian State Pedagogical University of Herzen in St. Petersburg, Russia. She received her Specialist in Law degree from the Law Faculty of St. Petersburg State University in 2001, Masters in public administration from Michigan State University in 2004, and a degree of the Candidate of Sciences (equivalent to PhD) in criminal law, criminology, and corrections from St. Petersburg Law Institute of the General Prosecutor’s Office (2004). Her current research projects include social regulation and crime prevention; migration and criminal policy; private policing; and legal philosophy, ideology and crime.