Business Watch Questionnaire
Degree of involvement in program
We would first like to know about your involvement in the Business Watch program.
1. How long have you been a member of the PRBA? (tick the most appropriate box).
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0-6 months
6-12 months
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12-18 months
Greater than 18 months
In the next set of questions, please indicate your response by ticking the box next to
your answer. You may not have to answer each question. If you are directed to skip a
question please do so, otherwise please continue on to the very next question.
2. Prior to receiving this survey, were you aware of the PRBA’s Business Watch program?
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No  Go to Question 15
Yes
3.1. Safety and security audits are designed to check business premises for any
environmental factors which may contribute to the risk of being targeted by criminals
(e.g., levels of lighting in and around businesses, visibility from street).
Are you aware of the principles of safety audits, and/or of the information and
services (such as training and audits) provided by the PRBA and the NT police?
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3.2
Has your business participated in safety audits run by the PRBA and/or NT police?
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3.3
No  Go to Question 4.1
Yes
No  Go to Question 3.4
Yes
How has your business participated in safety audits? (tick all boxes that apply)
 After responding to this question, go to Question 4.1
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Attended meeting regarding safety audits
Read information regarding safety audits
Conducted own safety audit of premises
Made changes to premises from safety audit
Sought additional information about safety audits
(e.g., by phoning police, attending training, did own research)
Other (please specify) .................................................................................
3.4. What were the reasons for not participating in safety audits? (tick all that apply)
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Lack of time (due to work or other commitments)
Lack of financial resources
Didn’t think it would be useful
Wasn’t offered to me
Other _______________________________________________
4.1. Did you attend any PRBA meetings between 1st July, 2001 and 30th June, 2002?
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4.2
No  Go to Question 4.3
Yes
How many meetings did you attend? (tick the box which best describes your activity)
 After responding to this question, go to Question 5.1
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Have attended 1-5
Have attended 6-10
Have attended 10 or more
Have attended all
4.3. What were your reasons for not attending meetings? (tick any boxes which apply)
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Lack of time (due to work or other commitments)
Didn’t think it would be useful
Wasn’t offered to me
Other _________________________________________________
5.1. Are you aware of the business identification numbers provided by the PRBA, and
their purpose (to deter the theft of valuables, and to enable retrieval of stolen goods)?
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No  Go to Question 6.1
Yes
5.2. Upon how many valuables was your business identification number engraved?
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None
1-5  Go to Question 6.1
5-10  Go to Question 6.1
10 or more  Go to Question 6.1
5.3. What were the reasons for not engraving valuables? (tick all boxes that apply)
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Lack of time (due to work or other commitments)
Didn’t have suitable valuables
Didn’t think it would be useful
Other _________________________________________________
6.1. Another component of the Business Watch program is concerned with the
distribution and display of Business Watch stickers. Were you aware of this?
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No  Go to Question 7
Yes
6.2. What was your business’ level of involvement with this activity?
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Displayed sticker in prominent area  Go to Question 7
Did not obtain sticker
Obtained sticker but did not display
Displayed sticker in non-prominent area
6.3. What were the reasons for not obtaining or displaying the sticker prominently?
(tick all boxes that apply)
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Lack of time (due to work or other commitments)
Didn’t think it would be useful
Wasn’t offered to me
Other _________________________________________________
Perceptions of Business Watch Program
In this section we are interested in your perceptions of the Business Watch program.
Please rate your level of agreement with the following statements by circling the
appropriate number, or ticking ‘not applicable’ (if you did not participate in that
element of the Business Watch program), or ‘don’t know’ if you are unsure of how to
respond:
7. I believe that the Business Watch program has prevented crimes being committed
against my business.
1
2
3
4
5
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
Not
Applicable
Don’t Know
8. My fear of business crime has been reduced, since the Business Watch program began.
1
2
3
4
5
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
Not
Applicable
Don’t Know
9. I believe that the distribution and display of Business Watch stickers has deterred
criminals from targeting my business.
1
2
3
4
5
Strongly
agree
Agree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Disagree
Strongly
disagree
Not
Applicable
Don’t Know
10. I believe that the allocation and engraving of Business Watch identification numbers
has deterred criminals from stealing valuables from my business.
1
2
3
4
5
Strongly
agree
Agree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Disagree
Strongly
disagree
Not
Applicable
Don’t Know
11. I believe that the allocation and engraving of business numbers has assisted me in
the retrieval of stolen goods.
1
2
3
4
5
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
Not
Applicable
Don’t Know
12. I see the information provided at Palmerston Regional Business Association meetings
as assisting me to prevent crime against my business.
1
2
3
4
5
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
Not
Applicable
Don’t Know
13. I believe that safety audits, and/or information about how to conduct a safety
audit has helped me to deter criminals from targeting my business.
1
2
3
4
5
Strongly
agree
Agree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Disagree
Strongly
disagree
Not
Don’t Know
Applicable
14. What do you believe the main goal of a Business Watch program should be? (tick one)

To assist individual businesses to develop crime prevention strategies for
their business
To encourage the entire business community to share information about
crime prevention with other businesses
To watch out for suspicious or criminal activity and alert other businesses
Don’t know
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15. Would your business be willing to participate in a Business Watch program in the
future? (tick any boxes which apply)
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No
Unsure
Don’t know what Business Watch is
Yes, would participate in a similar program to this one
Only if the program was more structured and in-depth
Only if more members became involved in the program
Only if the following suggestions were included (write here)
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Crimes Committed Against Your Business
16. For the periods from 1st July, 2001 - 30th June, 2002, and 1st July, 2000 - 30th June, 2001
please indicate how many times the following crimes occurred at your business, and
how many times you reported each type of crime to the police.
If no incidents occurred please write ‘0’; if you are unable to make an estimate,
please write DK (don’t know); and if the particular crime is not applicable to your
business (e.g., customer theft not applicable in an office), please write N/A.
Type of Crime
Number occurred
Number reported
Burglary
Break and enter – entering your
premises after hours to steal things
2001/02
2001/02
2000/01
2000/01
Malicious Damage
Causing deliberate damage to your
business (e.g. arson, vandalism etc)
2001/02
2001/02
2000/01
2000/01
Theft of Business Motor Vehicle
2001/02
2001/02
2000/01
2000/01
2001/02
2001/02
2000/01
2000/01
2001/02
2001/02
2000/01
2000/01
Cheque/Credit Card Fraud
Losing money from accepting an
invalid cheque or credit card
2001/02
2001/02
2000/01
2000/01
Employee Theft (money or goods)
Theft of products or money from your
premises by employees
2001/02
2001/02
2000/01
2000/01
Employee Fraud (diversion of funds)
Embezzlement or misappropriation of
funds by employees
2001/02
2001/02
2000/01
2000/01
2001/02
2001/02
2000/01
2000/01
2001/02
2001/02
2000/01
2000/01
2001/02
2001/02
2000/01
2000/01
Owner/Employees physically
Assaulted or attacked
Assault not during a robbery
2001/02
2001/02
2000/01
2000/01
Other (please specify)
...............................................................
...............................................................
2001/02
2001/02
2000/01
2000/01
Theft of items from inside Business
Vehicle
Customer theft
Shoplifting from your premises
Unarmed Robbery
The theft of money or goods by
threatening owner or staff without a
weapon
Armed Robbery
The theft of money or goods by using
a weapon to threaten owner or staff
Bribery/Extortion
Function/Role of Police
We are also interested in how you perceive the role and function of police in preventing
and solving crimes against businesses.
17. Who do you believe should take the primary responsibility for preventing crimes
against business? (please tick one response only)
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Solely the police
Mainly the police
Both police and business owners
Mainly business owners
Solely business owners
Don’t know
Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements by circling the
appropriate number, or tick “don’t know” if you are unable to respond.
18. (a) I am confident in the ability of the police to prevent crimes against businesses.
1
2
3
4
5
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
Don’t know
(b) I believe that the police take crimes against business seriously.
1
2
3
4
5
Strongly
agree
Agree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Disagree
Strongly
disagree
Don’t know
(c) I am confident in the ability of the police to solve crimes against businesses.
1
2
3
4
5
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
Don’t know
Demographic/Environmental
Finally, we would like to ask for some general information about your business. Please
remember that neither you nor your business can be identified from this information, as it
is kept strictly anonymous. This information will be used for analysis purposes only.
19. Please write down the category which best describes the nature of your business
(e.g., newsagency, plumbing, insurance, cleaning services, service station, etc).
__________________________________________
20. Please indicate (by ticking the appropriate box) the range of your annual business
turnover between 1st July, 2001 and 30th June, 2002:
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Less than $200,000
$200,000 – less than $500,000
$500,000 – less than $1 million
$1 million – less than $5 million
Greater than $5 million
21. Is your business/organisation (tick one description only):
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Located only at this address
Located at this and one or two other addresses
Part of a larger chain or bigger business (e.g., a franchise)
22. How many staff does your business employ in a typical week? (write on lines given)
Number of full-time workers
Number of part-time workers
Number of casual workers
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23. What time does your business close? (write on lines given)
On weekdays
On Saturdays
On Sundays
........................................................
........................................................
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24. Which one of the following categories best describes the nature of the area in which
your business is situated? (Tick one description only)
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Industrial estate
Shopping strip (street with shops down sides)
Shopping centre/mall
Business strip (street with businesses down sides)
Office block
Isolated area
Home based
Please record the time it took you to complete this questionnaire here: ...............
Thank you for taking the time to complete this questionnaire.
Please use the reply paid envelope to return the survey by 7th October.