The role of private security has become pervasive in present day societies. Increasingly, public social life takes place within privately controlled spaces which are policed by security officers who operate in the interests of their private employers, not in the interest of the public. This text analyzes the role of private security and discusses the social implications of private security for social policy. Part 1 analyzes the social developments underpinning the growth of the private security industry and discusses the structure and services of the industry. Drawing on the sociological and criminological theory regarding the nature of social control, chapter 1 explores various definitions of policing in terms of the three key themes of “insecurity,” “space,” and “control.” Chapter 2 discusses the ways in which property is managed and controlled, while chapter 3 explores the position of the private security industry amid the many agencies engaged in policing. The roles of the security client, the security company, and the security officer are examined in chapter 4. Part 2 moves on to an analysis of the policing of three public centers, which are representative of places in which members of the British public spend their leisure hours. Chapter 5 outlines the study methodology, which was an empirical study of the private security personnel who worked in the three venues under examination: a cultural center, a shopping center, and a retail and leisure complex. The findings from the study are presented in chapters 6 through 9, and relate to six key themes involving the commercial and environmental characteristics of the centers, risks to the centers, and the strategies adopted to mitigate and control the risks. Chapter 7 specifically looks at the types of organizations supplying security personnel, the characteristics of security personnel, and the accountability structures in place within the industry. The security arrangements with the three centers and the functions performed by the security personnel are described in chapter 8, while chapter 9 analyzes how the private security in the three centers is linked to the wider network of policing agencies within the community. Finally, part 3 offers concluding remarks regarding the findings from the study and their implications for policy. Figures, tables, bibliography