Closed circuit television
Closed circuit television was introduced in the post-war period. It has been used in the industrial and scientific fields, as well as audio-visual communications. Recently closed circuit television has become synonymous with security surveillance. The CCTV technology has improved and we now have clearer images, better infrastructure, digital storage and numerous software add-ons (Wood, 2009). According to McCarthy (n.d.), “Security cameras are now an ubiquitous feature of many institutions and places” (Closed Circuit Television, para. 7). These cameras found in public areas: such as streets, parks, malls, schools and workplaces. This has had an impact on the fight against crime. Security cameras are designed to be a deterrent to violent and non-violent crime. A retail store with a CCTV camera is less likely to be targeted by shoplifters or armed robbers. Employers use closed circuit television in the workplace; this discourages employees stealing the employer’s time and resources. Traffic cameras are used to reduce road carnage and other traffic violations.
In 2008, Britain had more than 4 million CCTV cameras. As the global recession peaked, cost cutting became the order of the day. These CCTV cameras went unmanned and tapes were only reviewed after an incident was reported (Camber, 2008). McCarthy (n.d.) stated the following:
The purpose of CCTV surveillance is usually deterrence of, rather than intervention in, criminal acts. Many security cameras go unmonitored and are thus ineffective as a means of halting crimes in progress. (Closed Circuit Television, para. 9)
It is illogical to invest heavily in security surveillance and disregard investment in manpower to monitor the footage in real-time and act accordingly. However, monitoring footage around the clock is not a full proof measure. The cameras cannot view every inch of the premises, their positioning creates blind spots that can be exploited by people familiar with the premises and they are not protected from vandalism. This raises the question, how effective is the use of closed circuit television in the prevention of crime?
References
Camber, R. (2008, Dec. 16). Big brothers not watching you: Cash-strapped towns leave CCTV cameras unmonitored. Daily mail. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk
McCarthy, A. (n.d.). Closed Circuit Television. The Museum of Broadcast Communications. Retrieved from http://www.museum.tv
Wood, M. (2009). A new ‘baroque arsenal’? Surveillance in a global recession. Surveillance & Society, 6(1): 1-2. Retrieved from http://www.surveillance-and-society.org
