DSW Adopts New Approach To Loss Prevention

By Christine Kern, contributing writer

Program Aligns Well With DSW's Goal of Reducing Shrink While Better Serving the Community.

DSW, Inc. has announced that it has signed an agreement with the Corrective Education Company (CEC), to incorporate the CEC Restorative Justice Education solution into its Loss Prevention program.

DSW Inc., headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, operates 431 stores in 42 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. DSW also supplies footwear to 370 leased locations in the United States under the Affiliated Business Group.

"DSW was looking for an alternate method of dealing with shoplifters in our stores, one that aligns with our core values," Jordan Rivchun, Senior Manager of Investigations for DSW explained in the release. "While every retailer’s objective is to reduce losses and stem shoplifting in their locations, we were looking for solution that could not only deliver on that objective, but one that offered a compassionate approach for those individuals who may have simply made a bad choice."

According to the most recent National Retail Security Survey, shoplifting contributes to more than one-third of retailers' losses. But the costs of processing petty theft through the criminal justice system can be prohibitive for retailers and data shows that punishment is often not a deterrent for offenders. 

However, data shows that individuals who complete CEC's Restorative Justice Education program experience recidivism rates consistently below 5%. The program's streamlined approach to building a case against the offender has also shown cost savings of up to $200 per incident due to labor and time savings.

"DSW now joins the list of prestigious retailers that are looking to change the way petty crimes are handled through the deployment of our Restorative Justice Education Program," stated Darrell Huntsman, Founder and CEO of CEC. "Our approach to petty theft has proven to be effective in helping individuals get the support they need though education that helps them put their lives back on track, which ultimately has a positive impact on their communities."

Fully funded by offenders, the CEC Restorative Justice Education program is available to retailers at no cost. Designed for first-time offenders who have committed petty crimes, the program is compatible with 3rd party case management programs and CEC also offers a secure web portal.

"At DSW, we have a team of loss prevention professionals who are responsible for a large number of locations. Anytime we can deploy technology that helps us streamline our processes, save time and energy, and be a better partner to both law enforcement and the communities we operate in, we consider that to be a force multiplier. CEC delivers on all points," concluded Rivchun.

For more information, visit www.correctiveeducation.com.