Services
MTA Research provides independent, evidence-led support across prevention strategy, analytics, and evaluation. Engagements are tailored to your decision context, data environment, and operational constraints.
1) Retail crime research & analytics
What we do
We help make sense of incident, people, product and location data to identify what is driving loss and what is most likely to reduce it.
Typical questions
- Where is loss concentrated, and what patterns are emerging over time?
- What distinguishes routine error from fraud/abuse signals?
- Which stores, products, or processes should be prioritised for prevention effort?
Common outputs
- Analytical report (plain-language findings, clear visuals, defensible methods)
- Executive brief with prioritised recommendations
- Dashboards/figures suitable for operational and executive audiences
2) Fraud & abuse prevention
What we do
We use crime scripting and opportunity-reduction thinking to map how abuse occurs and where controls can be applied with minimal friction.
Typical questions
- How is policy being exploited, and at which steps does it become preventable?
- Which controls are likely to reduce opportunity without harming legitimate customers?
- What indicators can be monitored to detect emerging abuse types?
Common outputs
- Behaviour typology and risk indicators (plain language, operationally interpretable)
- Prevention script / control map with options and trade-offs
- Measurement approach to track change after implementation
3) Program design & evaluation
What we do
We design measurement frameworks and evaluation plans that match the realities of rollout, compliance, and operational variation.
Typical questions
- Is the program working, for whom, and under what conditions?
- What is the best feasible design for credible measurement (given constraints)?
- What is the likely uplift/ROI, and what assumptions drive it?
Common outputs
- Evaluation plan (questions, measures, sampling, timeline)
- Pre/post survey instruments and analysis plan (where appropriate)
- Results reporting that supports decision-making, not just description
4) Workshops & training
What we do
We run practical sessions that help teams apply crime-science tools to their own context and produce usable outputs.
Formats
- Short skills sessions (90–180 minutes) on core tools and interpretation
- Co-design workshops to generate prevention actions and prioritise controls
- Facilitation for cross-team alignment on definitions, measures and next steps
Common outputs
- Workshop pack (templates, examples, facilitation materials)
- Summary of outputs and prioritised action list
- Follow-on recommendations for implementation and measurement
Not sure which service fits?
We can usually clarify fit quickly from a short description of the problem, the decision you need to make, and what data (if any) is available.