Summary
The thesis examines the evolution and status of private policing in Canada and the regulatory framework which surrounds it. The basic thesis question is twofold. First, how has the private security industry evolved to date and what theoretical implications are attached to this evolution. And second, how will this industry and its regulatory framework likely evolve in the century to come? The underlying theoretical question is: Is the Canadian private security industry an example of the shift towards the new 'social order' of postmodernism? The thesis begins with an examination of the historical roots of both private and public policing and proceeds to investigate the evolution and recent growth of private policing in Canada. This provides the background against which the interrelationship and interactions between the public and private sectors of policing are discussed. The current regulatory schemes governing the private security industry are also detailed. Ultimately, the thesis provides a critical first look at possible future developments surrounding the regulation of the private security industry. The conclusion is that government will likely be the regulator of the private security industry in the next century. As such, it would appear to challenge an element of the theoretical foundation upon which postmodern theorists base their arguments. The postmodern model of policing should involve ' less' government control and 'fewer' government regulations imposed on the private security industry. If one of the trademarks of a modern society is the state's monopoly on policing services, then the argument can be made that we are not moving towards a postmodern framework of policing.