It a non-student refuses to sign the form, he is immediately turned over to the police. Students who refuse to sign may still not be arrested, but will usually only have their names turned over to a dean, just as if they had signed.

If an offender signs the Coop's statement, Zavelle conceded, the Coop is still legally obliged to book him at a police station. However, in the case of Harvard and M. I. T. students, the Coop turns the confession forms over to a dean.

In the case of juveniles, the Coop contacts the suspect's parents. Other shoplifters, including B. U. students, are booked in Cambridge and their statements are filed with the police.

Ad Board Undecided

Because present draft laws make severing a procedure often less lenient than that which might be meted out by a Cambridge court, and because Harvard's in loco parentis role is under fire on many fronts, some members of the Ad Board favor turning shoplifters over to civil authorities. Others say that most shoplifters are students in need of help who should not be made subject to a possible criminal record.

Zavelle said that if Harvard wants to terminate its arrangement with the Coop, the store will turn students caught shoplifting over to civil authorities. But he added that the Coop "considers itself a part of the Harvard community," and will be happy to continue to cooperate with the Administrative Board.