Businesses and landlords have a duty of care to members of the public. One of those obligations involves facility maintenance. They need to keep the property in a safe condition. They also have to provide appropriate security services.
Businesses and property owners could face premises liability lawsuits brought on the basis of negligent security if reasonably foreseeable crimes occur at their property. While a business or landlord is not always liable for any crime that occurs on private property, there can be liability in scenarios where the property owner could have prevented the situation.
How can property owners predict and prevent crime?
There are clear trends in criminal activity
There are several ways for property owners, landlords and businesses to determine what sorts of crimes might occur at a specific location. Looking at local crime rates and incident reports can provide valuable insight. Some neighborhoods see far more vehicle break-ins or assaults than others.
Looking at the crimes associated with a particular industry can also be helpful. Bars and restaurants may see druggings and fistfights, while retail establishments might need to consider the risk of robberies.
If commonsense measures such as lighting in outdoor spaces, the installation of cameras or the limitation of who accesses a space could have prevented a crime associated with a particular area or industry, then the victim of the criminal incident could theoretically assert that the business could have predicted and prevented the criminal activity. If other reasonable people agree with the crime victim, they may be able to take legal action.
Learning more about premises liability and negligent security can be beneficial for those who become victims of crime on private property.