Retail Theft, Shoplifting, and Community Impacts
Law, Criminalization of Poverty
Students led by Wendy Bach (Law) and Kyra Martinez (Sociology) partnered with Community Defense of East Tennessee (CDET) to investigate legal charges of shoplifting, burglary, and theft in the region.
After learning about widespread use of shoplifting charges at a Walmart in Sullivan County, Tennessee, the research team collected and analyzed data on shoplifting and retail theft, including the nature and level of legal charges, the range and scope of punishment; the role of retail companies, root causes of theft, and overall impacts on individuals and the community. Data collection involved multiple trips to Sullivan County to collect and review case files and to interview public defenders and other stakeholders. CDET and students created “zines” outlining the scope of the problem, the research findings and resources, to be disbursed to Tennesseans who have or may be navigating Tennessee’s retail theft laws.