A total of 92 security companies and 392 security agents were surveyed. Following a discussion of the definition of private security, the legal context within which private security forces must operate is examined. The growth and organization of private security is then discussed, with attention given to the similarity between private security's development in Ontario and across Canada, as well as in the United States and Britain. The control and ownership of contract security is also considered. The agencies which control contract security and the clients who hire them are studied, followed by a consideration of the security agents who do the work; the preparation and supervision the agents receive are described. Security agent tasks, the manner in which they are performed, and the implications for an understanding of the role of private security are examined, followed by a report of findings on security agents' knowledge of the law and the extent to which they use the law in their work. Finally, policy and future research in this area are discussed. The fundamental conclusion from the survey data is that private security persons act primarily within the context of private justice systems which operate as alternatives to criminal justice. Private security agents may take advantage of criminal justice resources but tend to pursue the objectives of private justice. The employee and agency questionnaires are appended, along with the Private Investigators and Security Guards Act (Ontario). Tabular data and about 100 references are provided.