Burglary Research

1. Invitation

I would like to invite you to take part in my research study. Joining the study is entirely up to you, before you decide I would like you to understand why the research is being done and what it would involve for you. I will go through this information sheet with you, to help you decide whether you would like to take part and answer any questions you may have. I would suggest this should take about 30-60 minutes. Please feel free to talk to others about the study if you wish. Do ask if anything is unclear.

2. Study Summary

This study is concerned with the methods used by burglars when initially gaining access to, or trying to gain access to, properties using forced entry techniques.

The legislation and standards that direct electronic security providers are lacking when it comes to the application of risk management for solution designs. Those designs are frequently based on opinion and hypothetical situations rather than actual data of what actions are taken by those perpetrating such crimes. This fundamental flaw could lead to inadequate security services for those wishing to invest in such equipment.

I am seeking participants that have had personal experience of burglary and are aware of the area that was initially assessed when the crime was perpetrated. Participation in this research would require you to attend or take part in an interview that would take between 30 and 60 minutes of your time.

3. What is the purpose of the study?

The primary objective of the research is to test the research question:

“What effect does the use of electronic security and surveillance systems have on burglary methodology, and when/how/under what conditions are those systems subjected to physical or technical attack prior to or during entry?”

The purpose of the study is to examine the existing legislation and standards within the electronic security sector, to ensure those within the industry provide appropriate and proportionate security solutions to consumers. The legislation presently grades systems based on the knowledge of a burglar, what tools they might have access to, and what physical or technical attack they might undertake on systems prior to intrusion. Very little research exists on the methods, resulting in system designs being based on opinion rather than data and risk. This study aims to address this problem.

4. Why have I been invited?

You have been invited because you can provide information about the problem I am investigating and fit criteria set in the design phase of this study. Your personal experience of this matter can help us understand more so that clear data sets can be created.

5. Do I have to take part?

No, taking part in this research is entirely voluntary. It is up to you to decide if you want to volunteer for the study. We will describe the study in this information sheet. If you agree to take part, we will then ask you to confirm your consent by signing a consent form.

6. What will happen to me if I take part?

If you decide to take part, initially you will need to complete the attached consent form and return this to me, we can then start to make arrangements for the interview. If you would like further information before you decide, please let me know?

With receipt of the consent form, I will then be in contact to discuss a mutually convenient time for the interview. I am happy with undertaking interviews in normal working hours, early evenings or even over a weekend. I will also confirm how you would like the interview to be conducted – being face-to-face in person, over a regular phone call, or using something like Zoom, FaceTime, etc.

On the interview appointment, I will initially describe the process we will follow and confirm some basic information (your name and an appropriate method of communication should the university wish to audit results). After this is completed, the interview itself will commence and be voice recorded.

7. Expenses and payments

It is not anticipated that you will incur any costs (e.g. travel expenditure) by taking part in this study. You will not receive any reward or incentive for participating in the research.

8. Anything else I will have to do?

The survey is only interested in your personal experiences of Burglary – and only relating to the initial entry methods.

9. What data will be collected and / or measurements taken?

Your personal contact information will be stored for me to send you instructions for participation. You will then be assigned a Pseudonym, code or reference that will link your records anonymously to be used throughout the research, that will be kept separate from your personal information. Only your Pseudonym, code or reference will be recorded on research data. Interviews are audio recorded using a dedicated digital voice recorder, and then digitally transcribed. Once transcribed, the original audio recordings will be deleted.

10. What are the possible disadvantages, burdens and risks of taking part?

Participation in this study will require your time. In addition, discussing burglary and your personal experiences could cause an element of distress and upset. If this is of concern, you should NOT take part. Likewise, if you feel distressed or upset at any point of the interview, you are free to withdraw without any consequence. I will also be able to direct you to appropriate sources for assistance should this occur.

11. What are the possible advantages or benefits of taking part?

Whilst there are no monetary incentives offered for taking part in the research, participation in the research has the potential to inform the development of solutions that can be used by security practitioners in the development of data and risk-based security systems. Such solutions are intended to reduce the risk and probability of losses or negative consequences resulting from burglaries.

12. Will my data be kept confidential?

We will ensure that all personal data the participants provide will be anonymised. To achieve this, research data will be linked-anonymised. A Pseudonym, code or reference will be created for each participant, and this will be noted on a linked key document that is kept separate to the participant responses. This document will be destroyed before data analysis commences to anonymise the data. All sensitive/personal data will be handled and stored in accordance with the GDPR and the University of Portsmouth Data Protection Policy. As researchers, it is our duty to ensure that all participants’ data is safeguarded both during and after the study. The following will show you how the data will be handled:

The data, when made anonymous, may be presented to others at academic conferences, or published as a project report, academic dissertation or in academic journals or books. The University of Portsmouth policy is to make the raw data associated with published research open access. The data will be anonymised and all links between the participant data and consent forms will be removed.

13. What will happen if I don’t want to carry on with the study?

The study is entirely voluntary. You can choose to stop the research at any time without giving a reason, and you can withdraw from the study within 2 weeks of the data collection, without giving a reason if you do not wish to. If you do withdraw from a study after some data have been collected you will be asked if you are content for the data collected thus far to be retained and included in the study. If you prefer, the data collected can be destroyed and not included in the study. After the two week period, the document linking you to your data will be destroyed. At this point, your data will become anonymous and it will not be possible for you to withdraw your data from the study.

If your concern or complaint is not resolved by the researcher or their supervisor, you should contact the Head of Department:

14. What if there is a problem?

If you have a query, concern or complaint about any aspect of this study, in the first instance you should contact the researcher if appropriate. If the researcher is a student, there will also be an academic member of staff listed as the supervisor whom you can contact. If there is a complaint and there is a supervisor listed, please contact the Supervisor with details of the complaint. The contact details for both the researcher and any supervisor are detailed on page 1.

More information is available in the documentaion e-mailed to you as part of the registration process.

15. Who is funding the research?

This research is being funded by the researcher.

16. Who has reviewed the study?

Research in the University of Portsmouth is looked at by an independent group of people, called an Ethics Committee, in order to protect your interests and well-being. This study has been reviewed and given a favourable opinion by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Ethics Committee at the University of Portsmouth

Thank you

Thank you for taking time to read this information sheet and for considering volunteering for this research.