THE MAJOR ALARM FIRMS DESCRIBED IN THIS STUDY ARE LOCATED WITHIN A 'SUN BELT' URBAN AREA; THE POPULATION OF THE CITY IS EXPANDING AND RAPID ECONOMIC GROWTH IS EVIDENT. IN 1974, THIS AREA HAD ONE OF THE HIGHEST CRIME RATES IN THE NATION, RANKING THIRD FOR BURGLARY. BETWEEN 1973 AND 1974, THE INCIDENCE OF KNOWN LOCAL BURGLARIES ROSE BY APPROXIMATELY 30 PERCENT AND THE NUMBER OF LOCAL ALARM COMPANIES ROSE BY APPROXIMATELY 39 PERCENT. THIS CORRESPONDENCE SUGGESTS THAT CRIME RATES HAVE AN INFLUENTIAL EFFECT ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SECURITY COMPANIES, AND ALTHOUGH CONCRETE DATA ARE NOT AVAILABLE ON ALARM SALES, THE PLOTTED CURVES OF GROWTH FOR ALARM FIRMS AND BURGLARIES DURING THE 10-YEAR PERIOD 1966-1976 INDICATE AN ALMOST PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP. IN THE COURSE OF FURTHER RESEARCH, THE EXECUTIVES OF THREE OF THE LARGEST SECURITY FIRMS WERE INTERVIEWED AND THE TECHNIQUE OF PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION WAS EMPLOYED; RESEARCHERS POSED AS SALES TRAINEES AND ACCOMPANIED PERSONNEL ON RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL SALES CALLS. OBSERVATIONS REGARDING PROMOTIONAL PRACTICES ARE PROVIDED; THE SALES PRESENTATION EMPLOYED BY VARIOUS SECURITY FIRMS IS REVIEWED AS ARE ASPECTS OF FEAR ACCENTUATION AND PROTECTION OPPORTUNITY, AND METHODS USED IN CLOSING THE SALE. THE PREFERRED ROLE OF ALARM SALESMEN AS SECURITY ENGINEERS IS ALSO EXAMINED WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THE ENGINEER AS CRIMINOLOGIST. THE PROBLEM OF FALSE ALARMS -- THE SCOPE OF THE DILEMMA, THE CAUSES, EFFECTS, AND DANGERS -- ARE ALSO EXAMINED. BURGLAR ALARMS AS TOOLS OF SOCIAL CONTROL SERVES AS ANOTHER FOCUS FOR DISCUSSION. THE POSSIBILITY THAT INCREASED PROTECTION OF RESIDENTIAL AND RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS MAY LEAD BURGLARS INTO MORE VIOLENT AREAS OF CRIMINAL CONDUCT IS EXAMINED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE CONTINUED ELEVATION IN BURGLAR ALARMS PURCHASES DEPENDS HEAVILY ON THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE OF CRIME, AND THAT WHILE THE TECHNIQUES EMPLOYED BY ALARM SALESMEN ARE NOT, FOR THE MOST PART, HIGH PRESSURED, THE EFFICACY OF THEIR TACTICS IS UNDERSCORED BY A RISING LAW-AND-ORDER MENTALITY. THE WIDENING FORMS OF PROTECTIVE SERVICES IN THE U.S. REFLECT AN OVERALL MOVEMENT TOWARD STRONGER EFFORTS AT SOCIAL CONTROL, AND IN EFFECT, THE DISPERSEMENT OF SOPHISTICATED SECURITY EQUIPMENT TO AN EXPANDING MARKET MAY ALTER THE WAYS IN WHICH BURGLARS OPERATE: THEY MAY ADAPT THEMSELVES TO MORE DIRECT AND INCREASINGLY VIOLENT METHODS. NOTES, REFERENCES, AND GRAPHIC DATA ARE PROVIDED. (KBL)