Excerpt

Consider these statistics from Shoplifters Alternative:
*1 out of 11 (23 million) people shoplift in America.
*There is no typical profile of a shoplifter. A shoplifter can be anyone.
*Contrary to myth, men and women shoplift equally.
* 25% of shoplifters apprehended are juveniles, 75% are adults. 55% of adults began shoplifting in their teens.
*Shoplifters are caught an average of once out of 48 times. They are turned over to the police 50% of the time.
*The vast majority of shoplifters are (non-professionals( who steal not out of financial need or greed but as a response to social and personal pressures in their life.
*Approximately 73% of non-professional shoplifters don(t plan their thefts in advance.
*59% of shoplifters often buy some merchandise and steal other merchandise.
*The excitement generated from (getting away with it( produces a chemical reaction resulting in what shoplifters describe as an incredible (high( feeling. Many shoplifters will tell you that this high is their (true reward,( rather than the merchandise itself.
*Drug addicts who become addicted to shoplifting describe shoplifting as equally addicting as drugs.
*86% of kids say they know other kids who shoplift
*57% of adults and 33% of juveniles say that it is hard for them to stop shoplifting, even after getting caught.
*Most non-professional shoplifters don(t commit other types of crimes. They(ll never steal an ashtray from your house and will return to you a $20 bill you may have dropped.

It(s this incredible rush! It(s like getting something for nothing!

Statistics reveal that most people who shoplift do so not out of economic need or greed but in response to pressures and emotional issues in their lives. (Something for Nothing( is a disease that affects millions. Whether this is a particularly American phenomenon begs to be studied but this problem pervades the planet.

We are living in the age of Winona Ryder and Enron. Anger and skepticism toward thievery abound. But this is not a book about Winona or Enron. There is something else going on besides simple greed. People try to get ahead at any cost. People feel it(s never enough. It(s beyond money. It(s beyond dollars and cents. It(s beyond sense.

It seems we, individually and collectively, feel an increasing emptiness.
The simplistic notion that shoplifting and stealing are merely legal or moral issues is wrong. There appears to be more dishonesty than ever these days; yet, tougher laws, more sophisticated security systems, and endless moralism haven(t reduced these offenses. In fact, they(re on the rise. Stealing, particularly shoplifting, can and often does become addictive.

I(m aware many feel we(ve gone overboard in labeling everything an addiction, a disease, an illness over which people have limited power and control. Most people understand and accept alcohol and drug addictions. They acknowledge gambling, sex, eating, or shopping as addictions.

But people doubt anyone shoplifting or stealing may also be crying out for help. Because we have no real understanding or acceptance of this, those who suffer sink farther into shame, ignorance and denial, and get farther from the sparse real help available. The person, the family, businesses, the economy, and society all suffer for it.

Shoplifting is the primary form of theft I will address in this book but I will touch upon others as well. I do not make excuses for stealing, breaking the law, or dishonesty in general. But I do intend to challenge the notion that most shoplifters are (plain thieves.(

This is the first book written on this subject by recovering shoplifter. I may be accused of bias. So be it. During my recovery, I found no literature to help me. I felt alone. I looked for self-help and support groups. There were none. In 1992 I started a self-help group called C.A.S.A., which stands for Cleptomaniacs And Shoplifters Anonymous. I changed the (K( to a (C( to create the acronym (Casa( which means (home( in Spanish. I wanted to create a safe place for people to share and get help. I intended the group(s focus to be on shoplifting but did not want to exclude people who had other forms of addictive theft; thus, I included the term kleptomania as an implied catch-all for stealing issues.

This is the first book written on this subject which posits shoplifting as an addiction rather than an impulse control disorder, kleptomania, or a condition which must be treated primarily with medication, therapy or both. I am taking this subject matter to the heart of mainstream thinking, hopefully making it more accessible and less shameful.

I hope this book will inspire people to form self-help groups throughout the country and the world where shoplifting addicts can receive and, ultimately, give help. Currently there is no national (umbrella( group for shoplifters. I know of groups only in Manhattan, Minneapolis, San Francisco, and here in Detroit. There are court-ordered educational groups in most states which address shoplifting and economic crimes but most take place over several hours and are of limited value, especially to anyone addicted to shoplifting.

Since starting www.shopliftersanonymous.com in 1995, I have received thousands of e-mail messages seeking information and support. Most people ask if there(s a group in their town. Time and time again I(ve had to tell them: (Not yet. Start one like I did.( But few have. Why not? This is the cutting edge. Substantial individual and collective ignorance persists about shoplifting as an addictive-compulsive disorder. Those who know they have a problem feel such overwhelming shame they would never think to tell anyone or seek help. The fear and shame of attending a shoplifting support group, much less starting one, is enormous. I(ve met people who feel too ashamed to tell their own therapists they shoplift. They fear judgment so they stay silent.

It may take another generation before we have shoplifting recovery groups across the country. But it will happen. There is a need which will be met.