CCTV Argument Supporting the Idea - Essay Example

?CCTV Argument Supporting the Idea Table of Contents Introduction 3 Need of CCTV Cameras 3 Counter Arguments 5 Solutions 7 Conclusion 8 References 10Introduction CCTV cameras are no longer a luxury surveillance requirement intended specifically for protecting the properties of the rich in modern human society. Today, the advanced technology cameras are being increasingly installed by the government rather than by business elites or political leaders in their personal or business interests. There has clearly been an increase of CCTV observation around the world, especially in the service sector, which has recently been diversifying rapidly into the public area. Undoubtedly, the expansion of globalisation, rise in societal complexities and new forms of criminal activities have accumulatively given rise to this need. Increasing urbanisation has exacerbated the trend towards privacy, leading to the essentiality of verifying identity. The growing frequency of crime has further emerged as one of the major reasons for both international corporations and government to increase video surveillance through CCTV (Ratcliffe & Taniguchi, 2006). Emphasising these aspects, the aim of this essay is to highlight problems arising due to the increasing number of CCTV cameras in the modern society and develop rational understanding in this regard. Need of CCTV Cameras With the advent of globalisation in the modern world, keeping track of regular activities performed within a society has become very essential for the government of any country to ensure national security. CCTVs are used not only in security purposes but also in research where people are continuously observed to understand human behaviour in different situations and circumstances. Increased mobility both locally and internationally has further given rise to a stranger society, where social control based on cognitive understanding matters significantly. Risk management has also become the leading mode of reasoning for both international organisations and government organisations, which has further increased the use of CCTV cameras. In the area of criminal justice, new ideas have given way to more humble defensive responses that focus on opportunity reduction, situational avoidance and risk management wherein CCTV can be regarded as a vital part of the trend towards the effective identification of punishing offenders, managing prisoners and handling rehabilitation centres. There are records that show CCTV is more effective in some context than other technology gadgets in identifying crimes. Reports published on the effectiveness of using CCTV have revealed that it had a significant impact on decreasing vehicle crimes, robbery and theft. However, no such significant impact of using CCTV was seen in case of violence or felony (Damjanovski, 2005). Researches further depict that identification of the real offender is possible through the CCTV cameras, which in turn plays a vital role as evidence in any criminal prosecution. Though proper evidence has not yet been obtained in the violence sector, the cameras have been observed to record suspicious behaviours and therefore play a pivotal role in obstructing the conduct of any probable crime to ensure security of a given population. However, the effectiveness of CCTV is often affirmed as subjected to constant monitoring, which could only be done in a reliable manner by a computer programme that searches for unusual activities and highlights it for further investigation. Notably, to increase efficiencies in identifying crime and protecting the society with the assistance of CCTV, innovative software programmes, known as Artificial Intelligence Systems (AIS) are being developed, which can predict the occurrence of crime quite effectively (Ulkemen, 2009). For instance, in a recent crime activity of the “Boston Marathon Bombing”, the CCTV installed in a departmental store helped the FBI team in identifying the concerned perpetrator of the crime. CCTV has also shown significant contribution in controlling hacking activities, performing video art, industrial processing, traffic monitoring and transport safety assuring among others. In the similar context, researches in the fields of social sciences, humanities, criminology and psychology have also been facilitated with the assistance of CCTV cameras (The Privacy Commissioner, 2009). Therefore, it can be affirmed that not only in societal contexts but also in political contexts, CCTV surveillance systems have a significant role to play in today’s twenty-first century. Counter Arguments With the rapid increase in the use of CCTV around the globe, the debates over the fairness or credibility of the motives behind such uses have also taken a considerable shape. Contextually, there are many arguments specified against the use of CCTV in the modern society. In the onset, critics have often argued that privacy is generally a concept of protecting one’s personal feeling from getting exposed in public. Although few people would suggest that privacy does not deserve to be protected as rights, many experts find it difficult to explain why it should enjoy the same status as compared to the right to free speech and right to freedom. However, in many democratic jurisdictions, right to privacy is considered as equally important as the right to freedom for individuals, to which the use of CCTV camera has been identified as an obstacle. Accordingly, it has often been argued that although users justify the use of CCTV on the basis of their motive to monitor and prevent crime, several evidences reveal that footage obtained from CCTV are often used for unfair conducts and also with the intention of criminal planning. The footages also posses the risk of increasing threat from terrorism as such information is often identified to reveal basic and secret information regarding security arrangements in a particular setting. Contextually, legislations have opposed the use of CCTV camera in private places to ensure privacy of the people (Norris et al., 2004). Reports also depict that the use of CCTV camera in both working places and homes can make its inhabitants feel mistrusted. Even the most trusted employee working in an organisation can become nervous with the feeling that they are being observed continuously, generating a feel of anxiety that they are not completely trusted by the management. In simple words, it has often been observed that CCTV surveillance cameras develop a feeling of enmity and insecurity among people being watched continuously, which again causes psychological stress and a feel of lacking privacy among them (Norris et al., 2004). In a study done in California (USA) and London (UK), it has been observed that increasing the number of CCTV camera had no effect on decreasing crime. Replacing human police officers and relying on cameras, which can only record what is happening around, has apparently proved to be of no significance in the reducing crime in various areas, which again opposes the advantages of CCTV in accomplishing the motive of reducing criminal activities (Norris et al., 2004). Solutions Concern about privacy is one of the main disadvantages for the users of CCTV camera owing to the misuse of the footage obtained from the recordings, which needs to be dealt with efficiently. It is in this context that legislations have been enacted to ensure the appropriate use of evidences for the defined motive. For instance, the enacted Privacy Act defines that the users of CCTV footage have a clear and defined purpose when to collect personal information wherein the use of the obtained evidence is confined to such purposes only (The Privacy Commissioner, 2009). Although the increasing number of CCTV cameras has not helped considerably in reducing crime, it has been observed in a survey conducted that the total number of car thefts has decreases with the increase of Video Surveillance. Investigating departments of different countries have also been helped to a great extent in arresting the offenders behind a crime with the assistance of the evidences obtained from CCTV footages. For instance, in the case of the Boston Marathon Bombing in 2013, CCTV installed in a shop has helped the FBI to a considerable extent in identifying and recognising the group of terrorists responsible for the attack (The Privacy Commissioner, 2009). In a survey conducted in the USA by Business Week after the infamous terrorist attack of 9/11, 63% of the adults voted in favour of expanding camera surveillance in streets and in public places. However, the majority of the populaces expressed their concern regarding the misuse of CCTV footages used in private localities such as residences. In this context, to resolve the issue of misusing CCTV footage, the users as well as other community members should be made adequately aware of their rights to privacy as per the local legislative norms (The Privacy Commissioner, 2009). Conclusion From the analysis presented in this study, it becomes clear that the use of CCTV has become very essential in today’s globalised world to ensure effective security in public places, shops, workplaces and residences. Owing to its continuous development and imposition of various legislations such as the privacy acts, general knowledge about CCTV is yet perceived to be low or inadequate. It is in this context that inadequate knowledge regarding the proper usage of CCTV often results in the misuse of the information obtained from the recordings. Although the role of CCTV surveillance systems has been a constant topic of debate, in accordance with the specified facts and files, it can evidently be observed that the advantages of the technology can be of significant assistance subjected to its appropriate usage. It is in this context that governing bodies must enact regulations to ensure proper usage of CCTV recordings and generate adequate awareness among people regarding their right to privacy as well as the consequences of inappropriate use of such evidences. References Damjanovski, V., 2005. CCTV: Networking and Digital Technology. Butterworth-Heinemann. Norris, N. & et. al., 2004. The Growth of CCTV. A Global Perspective on the International Diffusion of Video Surveillance in Publicly Accessible Space, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 110-135. Ratcliffe, J. & Taniguchi, T., 2006. CCTV Camera Evaluation. Temple University, pp. 1-15. The Privacy Commissioner, 2009. Privacy and CCTV. A guide to the Privacy Act, pp 1-26. Ulkemen, S., 2009. The Impact of Surveillance. Technology on the Behaviours of Municipal Police Departments, pp. 1-205. Read More