Perception of Closed Circuit Television - Research Paper Example

The Perception of CCTV Introduction In the past decade or so, Closed Circuit Television, or CCTV, has seen considerable growth in use, in sites that allow free access for the public. The deployment, as well as necessary and possible regulations for CCTV systems, has been the cause of much debate (Goold 65). There is surprisingly minimal research that seeks to address the acceptability of systems like CCTV to the general public and their effectiveness in improving security, however. Effectiveness, in this case, refers to reduction of disorder and crime. In this research report, various issues will be analyzed, such as whether hidden CCTV cameras reduce security breaches based on people’s perception, the specific perceptions these people have with regards to the importance of CCTV to security, reactions of these people when in establishments that have CCTV cameras, their level of confidence regarding their security in these places, and how their attitudes have changed since the introduction of CCTV. This research report will seek to show that CCTV systems increase productivity in terms of controlling security breaches, as well as providing psychological benefits to civilians by allowing them to feel secure in places with CCTV. Perception of CCTV Effectiveness in Reducing Security Breaches While CCTV systems are not physical barriers that limit access to some places or make it more difficult to commit a crime, it is a highly situational crime prevention tool (Guagnin 89). In the right situations, most people believe that they have some capacity to reduce security breaches. Although the CCTV is multi-functional, its primary utility is to arouse in the potential offender a perceptual mechanism. The perception of the offender can be changed so that if he/she commits a crime, he believes that he will be traced down. In other words, there is evidence that the majority of civilians believe that CCTV can increase the potential offender’s perceived capture risk. Assuming that the offender is behaving in a rational manner, this may de-motivate them. However, most people believe that in order for CCTV to reduce security breaches, the offender needs to be aware that there is a camera in the vicinity and that the offender needs to believe that the presence of the cameras are enough of a risk to negate any rewards for the crime they intend to carry out (Guagnin 90). Most people interviewed did not believe that hidden cameras were any deterrent to the offenders to reduce security breaches. In fact, evidence is suggestive of the fact that, even with the installation of cameras, there is no guarantee that people will be aware of the system, which may not deter potential offenders. In addition, the presence of hidden cameras is not guaranteed to affect the risk perception of the offender. Theoretically, CCTV systems provide necessary and capable guardianship that should reduce security breaches (Bennett & Gelthsorpe 78). However, some of the people interviewed were not very sure if this would work since some offenders may not demonstrate rational behavior. For instance, where there are hidden cameras, some potential offenders who may be high or drunk may not be careful enough to think of the presence of hidden cameras, as opposed to cameras in plain view. However, there is also the belief that hidden cameras could work in reducing potential crime if the police react with speed. In this case, the cameras would act as detection tools, rather than as deterrent tools. This mechanism of a security breach reduction requires that the police act quickly to any incidents of significance that are identified by the hidden cameras. In addition, there is a belief that the criminal justice system must pursue a conviction for offenders in order for the cameras to be effective in reducing security breaches. However, majority of those interviewed were not sure if this would work in the long term since offenders may adopt and realize the incidents that draw police response and those that do not (Bennett & Gelthsorpe 78). Majority concurred that, local resources needed to be available in order for hidden cameras to reduce security breaches. Perceptions about CCTV and Personal Security While the findings of numerous studies carried out to determine whether CCTV presence in public spaces causes a reduction in fear of crime have been generally mixed, most of them show that people in CCTV areas have reduced levels of crime fears (Welsh & Farrington 504). However, this is only for those people who were aware that the CCTV systems were operational. Majority of these studies exploring peoples’ perception on their own security in areas with CCTV showed that, less than 50% of them knew their area had CCTV surveillance. The reduction in crime fears was also seen to increase the number of people living in an area, which caused a natural increase in surveillance. This also made the residents of the area become more conscious of their security. However, there was widespread agreement with the fact that CCTV acts to aid police in their investigations. These people also believe that footage from CCTV cameras could also lead to more witnesses coming forward, who otherwise would not have assisted in the investigations. The use of CCTV also increases the possibility that police will get a conviction and that if the offender’s image is clear, it increases the possibility of a guilty plea. The potential for CCTV to aid police in investigations could also act to drive away offenders from crimes that take time and most people believe that this decreases the possibility of major crimes (Welsh & Farrington 504). There is a general belief among those living in areas under CCTV surveillance that it is easier to contact medical services faster if someone is the victim of a crime, for instance after the assault and robbery. The fact that CCTV operators can call medical services in the event that this happens is a public safety benefit, which most people appreciate. There is also a belief that CCTV can be useful for general location management (Welsh & Farrington 506). CCTV systems are useful in searching for lost children and monitoring public demonstrations that may degenerate into violence, requiring police response. CCTV cameras can also be used to gather information and those living in areas under CCTV surveillance believe that, this is useful in monitoring potential offenders in public areas. In fact, majority of them believe that following known offenders using CCTV is cheaper and safer than using plainclothes police. For instance, it is possible for police to track stolen goods and gather intelligence on their movement using CCTV, which will allow police to get an interdiction in a coordinated and organized manner. Most people in CCTV areas who are aware of CCTV presence appreciate this fact (Welsh & Farrington 507). Specific Reactions to Being in an Establishment with CCTV Surveillance It is possible for CCTV cameras to have unintended consequences, both on the offenders and the normal citizenry. With regards to the offenders, people in establishments that are under CCTV surveillance may have the feeling that these devices will only lead to displacement of the potential offenders (Hempel & Töpfer 165). Displacement can be of various kinds with spatial displacement involving the movement of offenders to areas that are not covered by the CCTV camera in the establishment. For this reason, most people will tend to keep of the areas of the establishment where they are not sure the CCTV cameras cover. However, there is no example of total displacement of criminal activity to alleyways and black spots, i.e. areas that are not covered by CCTV. In the majority of evidence collected on the issue, there is little evidence of spatial displacement that most civilians fear in establishments with CCTV cameras. A minority of people in these establishments also believe that the presence of CCTV cameras forces potential criminals and offenders to diversify operations and be more imaginative (Hempel & Töpfer 166). For this reason, they are more careful when in these establishments since they believe any criminal around is imaginative enough to commit a crime without being caught. There is a danger in the possibility that the public may feel negatively about the presence of CCTV cameras within the establishment. In the survey, at least half of the respondents were of the idea that the CCTV cameras were there for spying purposes (Hempel & Töpfer 167). In the same survey, city managers claimed that they were reluctant to have overt CCTV systems or to advertise the presence of the same because this would make some consumers and shoppers more fearful. While CCTV systems are meant to make people feel safer, there is evidence that the effect actually could be the reverse. In this case, it is important to remember that the primary mechanism under which CCTV systems work is through an increase in the offender’s perception of risk. When the city managers are not willing to advertise that the system is working in their establishment, most of the consumers do not have the feeling of safety that the cameras could bring. In addition, few offenders will be aware of these systems; therefore, will not perceive the risk (Hempel & Töpfer 167). However, overall, most of the respondents in the survey were supportive of surveillance systems that were well managed for surveillance of public places. Confidence Levels regarding CCTV Enabled Surveillance While CCTV enables the detection and prevention of criminal activity, it also helps to prevent fears among the public in relation to crime. Contemporary society is now a risk society with risk being a central feature. One of the most essential changes in today’s society has to do with alteration of trust environment, as well as an increase in ontological insecurity (Ditton 694). With the development of modernity came safety issues in society as societal structures changed to modern individual values from communal traditional values. With lower and fewer links between the populations came uncertainty and fear. This is what led to the introduction of risk management programs, such as CCTV and surveillance. This is indicative of the fact that living in a society of risk increases chances that the populace will be afraid of crime. People increasingly believe that they are at risk of danger or becoming a victim of crime. For this reason, it can be argued that CCTV surveillance is an advantage and that it increases the level of confidence and decreases the feeling of fear among the populace. CCTV, whereas arousing suspicion among the populace, also makes them feel safer (Ditton 694). In the study Crime and the City, respondents were asked for their opinions towards the use of CCTV surveillance. In response to the question on whether they would feel safer if CCTV cameras were installed on the road and they were alone, 42% of the respondents said that there would be no change in how they would feel, whereas 56% said that the CCTV’s would make them walk safer (Ditton 698). These results show that there was increased confidence and reduced fear when CCTV was used for over half the respondents. The same research, however, also showed that they were more confident in the use of CCTV to detect crime, rather than the reduction of crime. While the majority supported CCTV installation in the open streets, they also felt, however, that they would be more confident if the CCTV cameras were used together with police patrols. Overall, the research was suggestive of the fact that CCTV increased the confidence of most people in Glasgow with regards to walking alone in the street. Majority of the correspondents said that they felt more confident in the presence of CCTV cameras and that they wanted CCTV cameras to be installed in crime hotspots (Ditton 698). However, they were not in support of widespread use of CCTV surveillance. Attitude Changes to the use of CCTV Surveillance People who work in or frequent areas with CCTV systems may have their initial fears substantiated or allayed by experience. People who already know about the presence of CCTV systems are more worried about how it is used than those who do not have any idea of its presence (Fyfe & Bannister 41). In addition, among workers, most of them are more concerned about how CCTV is used in other places than they are about how it is used in their work place. The extent to which the public has welcomed the increased installation and use of CCTV was addressed in a Site Specific Survey, which sought to elicit evaluations on installation in specific sites. 85% of respondents frequenting shopping centers, 89% of those from street sites, and 92% of those who regularly use car parks said that the installation of CCTV would be welcome at their sites. An important qualification for these results, however, is that most of the respondents felt that installation of CCTV cameras at other places was not necessarily the right step. In their opinion, CCTV cameras would be useful in the areas they felt they were most at risk, but that overuse of CCTV surveillance was wrong. This shows that, whereas they were receptive of CCTV cameras from the start, they were not comfortable with CCTV cameras in areas that they did not think were at-risk areas (Fyfe & Bannister 41). Conclusion The optimal circumstances for CCTV use are not clear-cut. However, it is important to note that the success of CCTV surveillance in catching criminals and deterring further crime is a point that most people believe qualifies the use of CCTV cameras. In addition, the management of the areas that install CCTV cameras need to ensure that, as many people know about it as possible since this is the only way to deter crime. CCTV cameras are only able to deter security breaches if the potential offenders are aware of their presence. However, the same CCTV cameras should not be overused since they arouse suspicion among the public, whereas also giving a misconception that an area is relatively unsafe. However, ultimately, the use of CCTV cameras makes the majority of the population feel safer as potential offenders can be detected or traced after the crime. Works Cited Bennett, Thomas. & Gelsthorpe, Lee. "Public Attitudes Towards CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) in Public Places." Studies on Crime and Crime Prevention (2009): 72-90. Print. Ditton, Jason. "Crime and the City." British Journal of Criminology (2010): 692-709. Print. Fyfe, Nicholas. & Bannister, Jon. "City Watching: Closed Circuit Television Surveillance in Public Spaces." Area (2011): 37-46. Print. Goold, Benjamin. CCTV and Policing: Public Area Surveillance and Police Practices in Britain. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2004. Print. Guagnin, Daniel. Managing privacy through accountability. Palgrave Macmillan, (2012): 83-100. Print. Hempel, Leon. & Töpfer, Eric. "The Surveillance Consensus: Reviewing the Politics of CCTV in Three European Countries." European Journal of Criminology (2009): 157-177. Print. Welsh, Brandon. & Farrington, David. "Surveillance For Crime Prevention In Public Space: Results And Policy Choices In Britain And America." Criminology & Public Policy (2010): 497–526. Print. Read More