Surveillance and Safety Assignment - Essay Example

Surveillance and Safety Assignment Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance in public places is a cause of worry by civil rights activist because everyone has a right to live life without being watched. The technology has potential to be abused such as tracking a person’s movement when facial recognition software is added. Additionally, existing biometrics databases are not interconnected and there is a potential risk of misidentification which can lead to arrest of innocent people. Tracking of a person’s movement is a significant problem for minority groups or people with a similar profile like known criminals.

However, CCTV surveillance in public places has more benefits than disadvantages because of its ability to deter and solve crime, create a feeling of safety while in public, and promote local economies. CCTV surveillance reduces the rate of crimes since people are less likely to commit crimes in full view of the camera. Crimes that are common in public places include muggings and selling drugs. These crimes tend to take place in dark alleys away from the view of existing CCT cameras. CCTV cameras at road junctions can deter drivers from running traffic lights thereby preventing road accidents from happening.

The efficacy of CCTV cameras in reducing crimes is demonstrated by one of the first CCTV system installed in 1987 at King’s Lynn, UK which significantly reduced incidents of burglary and criminal damage (Fay 316). CCTV camera footage can help to identify criminals who commit crimes. For instance the terrorist behind the bombing during the Boston marathon were identified from CCTV cameras. The use of CCTV footage is widespread in solving crimes where police post footages of suspected criminals and the public can participate in their identification.

Advancement in facial recognition software enable CCTV cameras to identify demographic information of a suspected criminal such as approximate age, height, race, and build giving police more data to help solve crimes. CCTV surveillance cameras create a feeling of safety in public places. This is because everyone knows there are being watched. The police monitor CCTV cameras at all time giving them real time information of conditions in various areas. While CCTV cameras cannot prevent determined criminals from committing crimes such as a street shooting, stabbing or a hit and run, the cameras can alert the necessary authorities such as police who monitor them.

This allows for help to reach the victims sooner and may save lives when an ambulance is able to get to an injured person in time. Current technologies allow CCTV cameras to recognize objects by shape, size and colour. This can enable police to track suspicious objects and to respond to threats caused by concealed weapons by recognizing a suspicious person’s pose and walking style. This feeling that someone is out there looking out for the wellbeing of the people contributes to wellbeing and a feeling of safety.

Installation of CCTV surveillance cameras can promote local economies. CCTV systems are expensive to install and government spending on such infrastructures create jobs and inject money to the local economies since installation and commissioning of CCTV systems is usually subcontracted to local companies (Fay 318). There are specialized services that have emerged to supplement the existing surveillance system. These services create jobs and promote technological development. For instance, facial recognition software, or database development to enable systematic search of CCTV footage has emerged as a major employment source for companies subcontracted to install and run CCTV surveillance cameras in public places.

Works CitedFay, Stephen J. "Tough on crime, tough on civil liberties: some negative aspects of Britainswholesale adoption of CCTV surveillance during the 1990s." International Review of Law, Computers & Technology 12.2 (1998): 315-347.