How can Horeshoe Casino Security be made more effective

How can I better Horeshoe Casino Security to make it more effective?

STATEMENT

I, ………………………………………………………………………., declare that this dissertation: How can I better Horeshoe Casino Security to make it more effective?, is my work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged using complete references.

SIGNATURE:…………………………………. DATE:………………………..

Abstract

Most casinos do not want to take risks when it comes to the integrity of their gaming operations and the security of their facilities. This research paper is a proposal that looks at how the security and integrity of gaming operations at the Horseshoe Casino can be improved by investigating (1) How traditional casino security practices, procedures, and equipment can be updated? (2) What can modern security mitigation systems be used in casinos? And (3) The best security measures for improving security cost-effectively? This proposal will utilize a qualitative case study methodology for the research, and the data collection will be via document analysis. The case study methodology's focus will be on the security measures enacted by the case study casino, which will be chosen via purposive sampling. The data gathered will be investigated via thematic analysis. The results are expected to provide security measures and new and more improved strategies compared to those currently being used at Horseshoe Casino.

Table of Contents

Abstract 2

1. INTRODUCTION 3

1.1. Background 4

1.2. Theoretical Framework 5

1.2.1. The Criminal Event Perspective (CEP) 5

1.2.2. Rational choice theory 5

1.2.3. Situational crime prevention 5

1.2.4. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) 6

1.2.5. Defensible Space Theory 6

1.2.6. Broken-Windows theory 6

1.3. Statement of the Problem 6

1.4. Research Questions 7

1.5. Rationale (purpose) for the Study 7

1.6. Significance 7

1.7. Definition of Terms 8

1.8. Limitations of the Study 8

2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 8

2.1. Security and Surveillance Officers 9

2.2. Accidents 10

2.3. Fires 10

2.4. Criminal activity 11

2.5. CCTV Cameras 12

3. METHODOLOGY 13

3.1. Design 13

3.2. Setting and Participants 13

3.3. Data Collection 14

3.4. Treatment of the Data 14

3.5. Implications for Future Research 15

4. REFERENCES 16

1. INTRODUCTION

Most casinos do not want to take risks when it comes to the integrity of their gaming operations and the security of their facilities. In most states, laws and regulations require slot machines and tables to be under constant surveillance. Moreover, most modern casinos, as massive complexes, have multiple risks that need to be considered. Security is a massive issue for casinos of all sizes plus other types of gaming complexes. This is primarily because most money changes hands every night and day in most casinos. It is also because gamblers have to feel safe to play, and because gaming generally has to be secure for it to be done right (Lee, 2011). Normally, casinos have an internal security department that takes care of all matters relating to security. The department usually has a workforce made up of security men trained to monitor and manage security events and situations within and on the perimeter of gaming floors. They usually also have a surveillance team to monitor patrons and security cameras. In most casinos, security cameras play an important role in ensuring casino security. Modern cameras backed by modern technologies mean assaults, arguments, bribing, cheating, and similar unwanted events that can be noted quickly and acted upon fast without inconveniencing other patrons. Security professionals not only secure the gaming floor and its perimeter, but they also play a role in keeping away suspicious persons, preventing assault, kidnapping, and theft.

The legislation that regulates how gaming establishments need to protect money is different in different states. For instance, in the state of Nevada, the Nevada Gaming Commission is mandated to regulate how casinos and gaming establishments manage money on the gaming floor. The Commission requires casinos and gaming establishments to have sufficient money to cover all chips in play on the floor (Lee, 2011). Because the chips and the number of chips in play vary, the amount of money required changes today. The cash reserves held by casinos are typically stored in casino vaults. Casinos typically do not announce how much they have in cash reserves and the location of their vaults to protect them from criminals;

1.1. Background

Traditionally, casinos only hired individuals to act as security for the monies that changed hands on their floors. Nowadays, security personnel plays several roles in casinos. Without them, gaming operations cannot be secured, and neither can the integrity of some operations. For this reason, casinos are usually very keen when hiring casino security to ensure they end up with intelligent and physically strong individuals. To attract smart individuals, they usually offer good salaries and benefits (Staub, 2006). Modern casino security personnel usually have to main jobs in most casinos – to protect the guests and protect casino property. However, while security personnel protects casino clients, their priority is to protect casino property. And this sometimes means keeping an eye on clients who are out to steal or cheat casinos.

In recent times, events such as mass shootings in entertainment venues have forced casinos and gaming establishments to re-evaluate their security measures and plans. The plans are geared to protect casino property and casino patrons. Patrons need to feel safe to play more and spend more (Lee, 2011). Many casinos have uniformed security officials and metal detectors around the perimeter of casino floors and other parts of casino complexes to make them feel safe. In some cases, casinos know metal detectors and uniformed personnel make patrons feel uneasy and, therefore, they use other more subtle ways to protect casino floors and clients. As is evident above, casino security is a complex matter.

1.2. Theoretical Framework

Many theories have been proposed to explain and help with the management of security on casino floors. Some of the theories explain crimes as well as criminality. They include the broken windows theory, crime prevention through environmental design theory, the defensible space theory, the situational crime prevention theory, the rational choice theory, and the criminal event perspective theory. The theories will be discussed in this section, plus their applicability at gaming establishments and casinos. The theories are all ecological theories of crime, and they address physical and environmental features and locations, which can be considered to help stop or minimize crime (Purpura, 2011:131).

1.2.1. The Criminal Event Perspective (CEP)

This theory focuses on crime as a singular event (Sacco, Sacco & Kennedy, 2002). While the event is singular, several factors are usually contributed, such as the offender's motivation and the proximity of the target or victim. The target or victim must be close to the offender for crime to occur and in the immediate aftermath of the crime (Sacco et al., 2002). While this theory looks at crime as a singular event, it is important to note that crime does not happen in a vacuum or isolation. Multiple factors affect how a criminal event occurs, including the proximity between target/ victim and offender.

1.2.2. Rational choice theory

This theory argues that it is mainly up to an individual or a criminal to decide whether to commit a crime. In other words, the thinking of an individual determines what he will do. Normal or conventional thinking usually leads to normal behavior, and criminal thinking leads to criminal behavior and offending (Lilly, Cullen & Ball, 2002:218). According to the proponents of this theory, one's propensity to commit a crime is not influenced by their body type, genetics, or even sociological factors. It is strictly influenced by criminal thinking. The proponents of the rational choice theory argue that criminal thinking has an unknown origin. This is why it can affect only one person in a family and not several persons at once.

1.2.3. Situational crime prevention

The root of this theory is the rational choice theory. According to Eck & Clarke (2019), a potential criminal's decision on whether or not to commit a crime is usually largely determined by the situation. The potential criminal usually considers the situation, i.e., the risk involved in committing a crime, the effort needed to commit the crime, and the potential reward of committing a crime. Once a potential offender considers the risk of getting caught to be low and the reward to be high, they almost always consider the effort easy. According to Schneider (2014: 45), situational crime prevention theory is a measure that aims to reduce the opportunity or ease of certain specific crimes happening. This is achieved by manipulating or redesigning a particular environment to make crime more risky and difficult, and less rewarding in potential criminals' eyes.

1.2.4. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)

According to Snyder (2014:1), even when security is very important compared to the past, security planning is not taken very seriously in the design of casinos. However, for security to be easy to guarantee, there is a need to carry out security planning during casinos' design. While this seems logical, Worral (2006: 296) does not agree. According to Worral, physical security measures, including high walls, fences, turnstiles, security officers, and security cameras, are not very effective in stopping casinos' crimes. This is because, despite their presence, crime still occurs. Nevertheless, CPTED has proven that taking into account security measures during the construction of casinos usually leads to better crime prevention, especially in protecting assets.

1.2.5. Defensible Space Theory

According to this theory, architecture, street layout, landscape, and public space use are important in establishing defensible space (Purpura, 2011:131-132). The defensible space theory promotes two types of social behavior – natural surveillance and territoriality. According to Fennelly (2012:104), the defensible space theory also means using natural access control to prevent or reduce crime at a casino complex.

1.2.6. Broken-Windows theory

The Broken Windows Theory is considerd to be one of the most important theories in criminology. According to Purpura (2011:137), public intoxication, graffiti, broken windows, and broken doors in neighborhoods are small problems. When these problems are not fixed quickly, they can lead to crime and decay in the same neighborhood. Concerning casinos, this theory is most relevant to casinos that are not maintained. The lack of maintenance evident in old uniforms worn by staff poorly maintained spaces, and so on can attract crime and criminals. Casinos are public spaces and, therefore, they ought to be well-maintained for order and safety. Lack of maintenance will almost always lead to poor outcomes (Cebekhulu, 2016).

1.3. Statement of the Problem

Casinos have a massive responsibility in ensuring their assets, employees, and patrons are protected and that their interest is secured. Additionally, they are needed by law to protect their assets, staff, and clients. However, providing security is not easy. It is not easy to monitor wide spaces with many people and multiple exits and entry points (Lee, 2011). The difficulty in monitoring large casino floors and the vast amounts of money circulating in casinos often makes them vulnerable to fraud and theft. This is why security personnel has to plan carefully to prevent crime and investigate incidents and resolve crimes when they occur.

1.4. Research Questions

i. What new security improvement or enhancing measures can be used to deal with modern security threats effectively?

ii. How can existing casino security measures be updated to meet the new security challenges and threats more effectively?

iii. Considering the security threats at the Horseshoe casino, what specific measures can be adopted to improve the casino's security cost-effectively?

1.5. Rationale (purpose) for the Study

Because most casinos handle thousands of dollars in cash, they always attract many criminals and people with ill intent. For this reason it is critical to maintain high security in casinos. These days, the most basic casino security includes cameras positioned throughout casino facilities to monitor casino employees and patrons. The presence of cameras prevents stealing and cheating. This is in contrast with the past when most casinos simply hired big men to provide physical security.

Moreover, casino security in the modern-day world usually attracts millions of dollars in investments compared to the few thousands or tens of thousands of dollars casinos used to pay for security in the past. However, despite increased investment in casino security, theft, cheating, stealing, and other vices remain a problem. This is because these vices/ crimes have also evolved with time. For this reason, casinos must review their security measures and modify them to ensure they are up to date and sufficiently robust to deal with security challenges. The need for security improvements informs this study because it seeks to find out how to improve the security measures and models being utilized at the Horseshoe casino.

1.6. Significance

There are very few research studies focusing on how to prevent crime in the casino industry. This lack of empirical evidence focusing on crime prevention means a gap needs to be filled. Several articles suggest the use of different security models in the hotel industry. However, not many scholarly articles touch on the matter of casino security. This particular study will look at how exactly casino security can be improved to avoid inconveniencing guests and to avoid theft and to steal by casino patrons, employees, and criminals in general (Cebekhulu, 2016). Therefore, this research's contribution will be significant in the sense that it will be a scientific endeavor to study current casino security measures and how to improve them.

Casinos generally invest a million in building beautiful facilities with magnificent gaming floors. They all spend a lot of money and effort, making sure they are as comfortable as possible for their patrons. Because the more comfortable a casino customer is, the longer they will stay, and the more money the casino will make. Casinos also spend a lot of money and effort ensuring they are as secure as possible for several reasons, including giving customers the sense of security they need to feel good and spend money (Cebekhulu, 2016; Lee, 2011). This study is significant as it reveals how security can be improved at the Horseshoe casino and other similar casinos to ensure customers are comfortable and feel secure enough to stay longer and spend more, resulting in a great business for the owners.

1.7. Definition of Terms

Risk assessment: This refers to the investigation/ evaluation of risks, threats, or vulnerabilities to inform the possibility of the risk occurring, its impact, and how to prevent it from occurring (Roper, 1999:14).

Risk Management: This is the identification and preparation for the occurrence of a risk or taking action to reduce the likelihood of a risk occurring or of a risk causing devastating damage if it occurs (Manley, 2009:21).

Countermeasure: A countermeasure is an action that has been taken to eliminate or reduce a vulnerability. The cost involved in a countermeasure can be nonmonetary or monetary. Nonmonetary costs include bad publicity, unfavorable working conditions, and operational efficiency (Roper, 1999:14).

Safety: Safety is simply the protection of an individual's health and well-being (Hayes & Ninemeier, 2006:410).

Security: Security is an organized effort to ensure the safety of individuals and property from risks, threats, and vulnerabilities both within and external to an environment (Wood, 2013:77).

Security survey: A security survey is simply an analysis of a facility's internal control, operating procedures, environment, physical features, structures, and property. It is often done for the improvement of the facility's security (Floyd, 2008:1).

Threat: A threat is an event that can potentially result in the damage or loss of an asset. A threat is also the indication of a party's intention to cause damage to or loss of an asset (Roper, 1999:13).

1.8. Limitations of the Study

This study will only use literature from the hospitality industry because this is the available literature. There are not many thorough studies that look at casino security. Furthermore, the researcher cannot obtain statistics on crimes committed in casinos largely because security in most casinos is left to independent contractors who are not very interested in revealing security lapses of crimes that happen under their watch. Furthermore, most casinos and casino security firms know that if they publish information about theft or crimes at casinos, they will negatively affect their business as clients will no longer want to visit them. It is also expected that casinos will provide not many documents for this research because most casinos will naturally not want to reveal their security measures.

2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Nearly all facilities in the world have unique security concerns based on their environment. The case is no different from casinos. However, casinos are unique because they handle a lot of money, making them more vulnerable to theft, stealing, and attacks. Most casinos have gaming areas, restaurants, hotels, and entertainment centers. For this reason, they do a lot of business and handle a lot of money.

Moreover, their gaming centers are often crowded. The massive crowds usually make it difficult to notice suspicious individuals and provide the perfect cover and opportunity for people to take advantage. Because of their unique vulnerabilities, many casinos have developed ways to reduce the possibility of crimes happening within their premises. They have also developed ways to monitor crowds and look among big groups of people for those not following the rules. And in case they fail to notice suspicious characters and something happens, they have developed ways to ensure they respond quickly and effectively. This study will look at the security issues facing casinos, the precautionary measures against the issues, and how security issues are taken care of when they happen.

2.1. Security and Surveillance Officers

The main goal of security and surveillance officers at casinos is no different from security and surveillance officers at other facilities. It is simply to protect the facility's assets, the employees of the facility, and the visitors to the facility. Because security officers play a very important role in casinos, protection, their job description is usually quite detailed. Moreover, their job qualifications are also quite high because they need to be intelligent to notice issues quickly and act appropriately. Casino security officers' main responsibilities include enforcing the set rules, patrolling assigned areas, questioning suspicious characters, inspecting suspicious elements, handling emergencies, escorting chips, and detaining suspected criminals. The job requirements usually include a minimum of a GED or a high school diploma, no criminal record, above average intelligence, and good communication skills. A license to carry is also required (Bai et al., 2006). Security officers are quite visible in casinos. This helps deter criminals, and it is also why they need to have good communication skills because people tend to ask them a lot of questions.

In contrast to a security officer job, a surveillance officer job mainly involves monitoring screens for suspicious activities. In casinos, monitoring screens are always connected to cameras offering live feed pictures of key locations throughout the building and the surrounding environment. The work of casino surveillance officers is often to look for questionable or suspicious activities. Examples of such activities include activities showing fraud, theft, cheating, pilferage, or theft. Because casino surveillance officers play a very important role in monitoring casino premises and detecting and preventing multiple vices, the job requirements for vacant casino surveillance officer jobs are usually extensive. Most casinos will only hire individuals who have the right training and experience in monitoring casino CCTV cameras. This is because individuals without the right background and experience usually do not have the right skills to quickly detect and alert security officers of issues or potential issues. In many cases, casino surveillance officers must have a license to operate CCTV cameras (Field, 2000, 96-97).

Some of the security challenges casinos face are caused by the lack of sufficient security officers to monitor big crowds often present in gambling or gaming halls. Thus, the few security officers on duty usually have to rely on the surveillance officers to ensure that what they cannot see is being actively watched by them and that they are quickly informed in case of issues. For quick communication, security officers usually wear a two-way radio to quickly receive alerts and instructions from surveillance officers (Field, 2000). Both surveillance and security officers must be very alert to quickly notice and act on issues such as minors, assault, criminal activity, fires, and accidents.

2.2. Accidents

All casino security and surveillance officers have to be aware that anything can happen at any time. This means that they must constantly lookout for potential issues and safety hazards and take action where necessary. For example, if there is a safety hazard, they must not assume that somebody is coming to fix it. They must stay around and cordon off the area around it and ensure the hazard is removed or fixed before any accident occurs. For example, a wet floor could be a hazard that could cause harm to clients and employees and, therefore, it is something that a security officer who stumbles upon it must report before it causes an accident (International Foundation for Protection Officers, 2003, p.60). The moment an officer notices a hazard that they can fix, they must fix it themselves. If they cannot, they must contact their supervisor or someone who can fix it. But they must only do this once they have blocked or cordoned off the areas. After the issue is resolved, they must write a report and their actions to prevent them. The report will help in preventing the issue from reoccurring.

While accidents do happen in casinos, not all accidents are natural. Some are fake accidents that individuals cause to get money from casinos by threatening them with a lawsuit. Sometimes even employees fake accidents to get workman compensation. Because of fake accidents, CCTV cameras are often set throughout casino buildings to record and prevent illegal lawsuits from being filed based on fake accidents (Florence, 2002). Sometimes clients also report fake damage to their cars in the care of casino valet or parking. To protect against this, some casinos usually have strategically placed cameras to record vehicles' condition/ state when they enter casino premises.

2.3. Fires

Fires do happen at casinos. The huge number of people at casinos means a massive fire can cause massive damage and even death. Because of the extremely high noise and music in casino halls, it is sometimes difficult for people to tell that a fire alarm has been activated (Lam, 2019). Moreover, sometimes clients are so into their games that they do not respond to fire alarms when they are sounded. Research by Kirch (1998) into the Grand Casino Biloxi in Mississippi shows an example of a casino fire alarm system of a major casino. At the Grand Biloxi, the fire alarm system at the time the research was published had eleven alarm panels, 900 smoke detectors, multiple CCTV cameras, 450 pull stations, firewalls, and smoke evacuation handling teams. This shows just how complex fire alarm systems are and how seriously major casinos used to threaten fires. In addition to all the above, the Grand Biloxi's fire alert system was always monitored by a trained fire supervisor who was well-trained to handle fires and help the fire department in a fire emergency (Lam, 2019). All of the casino's security officers were also trained on handling small fires using a fire extinguisher or a hose. Major fires were always left to the local fire department. To ensure the department's members were very familiar with the building, they were given a yearly tour of the supervisors' casino.

To prevent injury or accidents from false fire alarms, Grand Biloxi's fire alarm system had a 20-second delay. The central alarm station went off immediately after smoke was detected, giving the supervisor and security officials time to quickly check CCTV cameras and let the alarms ring or prevent the alarm from sounding in the entire facility if there is no smoke or fire (Kirch, 1998). The fire alarm system at the Grand Biloxi was also connected to its elevators. The moment fire was detected, the elevators immediately started going down to the lowermost floor to let off passengers who could then rush to safety.

2.4. Criminal activity

Criminal activity is one of the biggest issues that casino security and surveillance officers constantly have on the lookout for. Examples of criminal activities that casino security has to be on the lookout for include assault, felonies, illegal gambling, theft, and fraud. Examples of illegal gambling schemes at casinos include those involving employees who try to make extra money by running their gambling schemes (Strickhouser, 2004). In many casinos, employee theft is a massive problem because they are surrounded by plenty of cash lying around. In some cases, employees steal chips, while in other cases, they work with outsiders to steal from casinos. Criminal activities perpetrated by outsiders include the stealing of purses and wallets and the switching of suitcases/ briefcases.

Illegal gambling schemes popular in casinos with lax surveillance and security, including distraction schemes, card manipulation, and stringing. Distraction involves a client or clients doing something to make an employee lose focus to change a bet or do something else to win a game. Card manipulation is often done by cheaters in collaboration with the staff running the game, but the cheaters can also do it independently. Sometimes card manipulation involves a false shuffle or the marking of cards to make them easy to identify. Lastly, stringing is the act of attaching a strong string to a coin and then using it repeatedly on the slot machines (Strickhouser, 2004). While cheating can be easy, most cheaters usually do not expect to be under the camera or physical surveillance by experienced security officials. This is usually the case in modern casinos where security officers are well trained to look out for criminal activities.

Other examples of criminal activities that casinos have to deal with include robberies and assaults. In many cases, robberies usually involve using a gun and the threat of force (Strickhouser, 2004). The main reason casinos have a problem with armed robberies is that there is usually plenty of money lying around in cash or chips. Another reason why casinos have a problem with armed robberies is that some patrons who lose big sums of money usually go and get drunk and then get the idea of getting back their money using a gun they own. The use of drugs by employees is also a reason why armed robberies happen at casinos. Employees who have a drug abuse history can slip back into using drugs and end up robbing their workplace. This is why many casinos usually drug test potential employees before hiring them and then test them randomly to make sure they are not abusing drugs (Zalud, 1998).

Unfortunately, child predators also happen to frequent casinos. When they do so, they often try to disguise underage teenagers as adults. To help detect underage children, security officers are nowadays trained to look out for certain behavioral cues. And when they have sufficient evidence, they are allowed to question or detain persons they suspect to be predators (Provost, 2017). Security officers in major casinos are also nowadays trained to check bathrooms regularly for clothing as clothing found in bathrooms is usually a sign that someone does not want their identity known. It could be a con or a predator trying to make it difficult for police and investigators to suspect them.

For small children, several major casinos now have a small facility within their buildings that acts as a daycare and has a nanny to look after kids. The facility allows parents to drop off their kids and go gambling. For parents to leave their kids at the facility, they are required to present a photo ID. They need to present the same ID to pick up their kid or kids. Such facilities are often monitored by casinos from other locations to ensure kids are safe, and everything is done properly (Provost, 2017).

2.5. CCTV Cameras

CCTV camera systems are very important for casino security. There are many different types of CCTV camera systems utilized in casinos to monitor various halls, hallways, and rooms. Some feature cameras can zoom, tilt, or pan, making it easy for surveillance officers to monitor areas as if they were inside them (IFPO, 2003, p.83). Many CCTV camera systems are often set in such a way to ensure they easily record cheating, assault, embezzlement, and movement in restricted areas. Some are also set to monitor areas where a fire is likely, monitor cars driving in for damage, etc. The systems have been used to detect and stop criminal activities, record criminal activities, investigate criminal activities, find missing persons, spot offenders, and spot runaways. Some CCTV camera systems can be used together with facial recognition software to find wanted persons, even if they are disguised. But sometimes, disguises can cover very large areas of the face, preventing facial recognition software (Florence, 2002).

While the above shows how advanced CCTV camera systems are, it does not capture one thing about CCTV camera systems, i.e., CCTV screens have to be monitored constantly to prevent criminal activities and unwanted events or behaviors. If they are not monitored, they will not be useful in preventing crime and unwanted behaviors. Many casinos usually have two or three CCTV surveillance officers on duty to ensure everything is seen and monitored, and potential issues are noted and addressed quickly.

3. METHODOLOGY

3.1. Design

This research proposes to use a qualitative case study method for actual research. The data will be collected utilizing the document analysis method. The case study methodology's focus will be on security measures in the casino, which will be chosen for the case study (De Vos et al., 2005:272). This methodology's usefulness is that it will allow the researcher to get more details and information about the security measures at the chosen casino. The depth of information and details acquired using the case study methodology will be much more than the details that could be acquired using a survey. Moreover, a case study allows the researcher to look at casino security issues in an in-depth manner (Denscombe, 2010). Lastly, the methodology will allow the researcher to investigate why better when looking at casino security issues.

As per the research question, the case study methodology is the most suitable because;

· It enables the researcher to gather in-depth data for understanding casino security issues

· It enables the researcher to focus on discovery and not confirmation

· It enables the researcher to focus on the data gathering process and the data

· It enables the research to analyze a single casino security system or model much better (Cebekhulu, 2016).

3.2. Setting and Participants

Only one casino will be used for this study. The knowledge gained from investigating the security measures of the single casino will apply to other casinos. Since only one casino will be chosen for this study, the sampling method will be the purposive sampling method. The usefulness of this sampling method is that it can help arrive at a reasonably good sample of a population. The sampling produces good representative samples because it relies on expert knowledge to non-randomly produce samples (Etikan, Musa & Alkassim, 2016). Purposive sampling in this study will aim to choose a casino with a reputation for having a good casino security system and a reputation for managing risks.

3.3. Data Collection

The data collection method will be document analysis. This will involve finding and analyzing the security manuals and models of the chosen casino and finding out whether the themes and strategies that will be discovered can be applied to Horseshoe's security. Document analysis is regarded as a qualitative research method. It involves looking at and interpreting the information from a document or set of documents to investigate a specific topic or research question (Bowen, 2009). The analysis often involves coding content in themes in the same way interviews and focus group responses are coded and analyzed (Bowen, 2009). The particular study will involve the analysis of three document types (O'Leary, 2014):