To What Extent Do You Agree That CCTV Has Had a Positive Effect on Society - Essay Example

To What Extent Do You Agree That CCTV Has Had a Positive Effect on Society? PM503 3 (Module Group Skills for Study 3 Essay FC Module Name: Student ID Number: 27th June 2014 1500 To What Extent Do You Agree that CCTV Has Had a Positive Effect on Society? Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) has already become an integral part of daily life but all the disputes about its relevance keep on going. Quite a lot of people consider it a sever interference into their private lives denying the thought that it has a positive impact on their safety. Security standards are under constant modification for the purpose of creation a healthy atmosphere of comfort and confidence. There are more than enough reasons to claim about a positive effect of the CCTV usage because all the facts, described below, prove that those changes are leading to improvements in different areas. The first area under review is airport territory as, unfortunately, airports become one of the main targets for terrorists what requires increased attention of security. Human capacity is limited to keep in focus all the details, especially small ones, even if many people are employed. That is the main reason why Closed Circuit Television surveillance is needed. For instance, all the records can be saved and revised should the need arise for more clarification. Such a situation explains the necessity of CCTV implementation to reduce the risk of terrorist attacks and to assist better in questions of preventive measures. Due to this factor, it is possible to minimize the need of hiring a great number of people what is reflected on the economic performance in general. Additionally, with the help of CCTV it is easier to control the quality of pilots work that is the most essential in questions of passengers safety. Moreover, being under control, the level of responsibility is growing and makes people perform better with their obligations. Besides that, such surveillance helps to monitor the quality of services provided by the airport staff, like baggage maintenance and handling, for instance (Airport Security, 2009). To opposite to all those people who worry about their privacy, it should be mentioned that all the video observation is absolutely confidential and only a few people have access to those files what leaves no place for fears of the interference into anyones private life. The other area where CCTV cameras are useful is on the roads. The article (ZeeNews, 2014) has a negative feedback on the growing quantity of cameras and the accessibility to the recorded information. But, according to Surveillance Road Map, where the laws protecting Human Rights are described, it is stated that such an important question as privacy is regulated by the set of laws that carry penalties and punishment corresponding to the violation ( Surveillance Road Map, 2014: 1-22). A practice of CCTV employment has an important role for safe traffic that is appealing for the drivers making them be more attentive on the roads what is reflected on the decreased number of car accidents and on the general tolerance towards all road users (VideaoSurveillance, n.d.). Regretfully, using cameras in such a way cannot be 100% guarantee that peoples lives are out of reach of danger, but it is impossible to neglect the fact that less crime happens on the roads exactly due to this fact. The explanation of such an influence is on the surface because people’s behavior changes subconsciously under control of the cameras and, even if a crime happens, it is easier to investigate it and to detect the guilty person. That is another reason to support the idea that extension of CCTV cameras should not be terminated. The next important check point is surveillance of city centers. At the beginning it may seem that taking under control such areas is dictated by the overprotection, but, in reality, there is a number of reasonable explanations that make change this point of view easily. For example, Scunthorpe Telegraph reported about the solution of how to prevent acts of vandalisms with the help of CCTV cameras, what is going to save sufficient amount of money for the budget of Winterton (Simon, 2014). Unfortunately, uncontrolled violence happens to be and the guilty should be accountable for these actions. Usually such law violation is not made known to public as much as murders or other crimes, but its effect is not less damaging than others are and economically it can be crucial. Another key point is that city centers are not “crime free” zone. Vice versa, big concentration of people at such places can be attractive to some criminals. Basing on the information saved in 2012/2013, 1035 offenders were arrested in Mansfield due to the monitoring CCTV systems (Mansfield District Council, n.d.). It is remarkable that management of the territories overloaded by people is much easier with the help of CCTV cameras installed in city centers. Moreover, analyzing different aspects of peoples conduct, more opportunities are open for prevention unwelcomed situations (Sandwell Homes, n.d.: 3). By all means everyone wants to live in a surrounding where feelings of security and confidence are guaranteed by default. It means not to be afraid of going outside even when it is late and, being aware of low level of crimes, people are able to feel more relaxed as the feeling of protection plays its part in public order. It is plus one more reason to be loyal to the decisions of setting cameras at public places. To continue the topic, the next target is shopping centers that are as modernized by security systems as the aforementioned public places are. First of all, installation of CCTV cameras at shopping malls is allowed only if there is a PSS (Public Space Surveillance) license (CCTV Information, n.d.). It is the requirement for observation of the rights that are defended by numerous organizations that is the firm answer to those ones who are protesting against machinery guidance of public peace. It helps to take control of customer-shop assistant relationship supporting maintenance of respect towards each other. Also the employer-employee relationship has an impact which assists to control activity of employees and to be on the safe side with the guarantees of the labor contract respect. To be able to rely on CCTV system all the instructions should be taken seriously in order to possess the quality records in some emergency cases. The most principal of them, discussed by NaCTSO (National Counter Terrorism Security Office), are such as keeping equipment in the proper condition, creating reliable technical support and putting quality higher than anything else. Following these fundamental rules there is a chance to gain an expected outcome (NaCTSO, n.d.: 23-24). Coupled with these points, CCTV cameras allow examining large territories for short periods of time both inside and outside of the shopping centers. The outside space such as a parking zone is not less important than the territory of the shops as it is also under control of the administration of the shopping mall. The best help of CCTV cameras in such a situation is hard to imagine. In fact modern technologies enlarge different opportunities but one of the most remarkable ones is the customer counter which irreplaceable for the statistics (RetaiCam, n.d.). Smart technologies are easy in managing but the progress they bring is overwhelming for all the participants of this cooperation. Studying the effect of CCTV on different spheres of life, its function is the most disputable in questions of setting such cameras in the neighborhoods. It would be fascinating to live in a society without thieves and crimes at all but nowadays this idea is a utopia. Nobody wants to be watched by others and to live with a feeling of being controlled but, to put it another way, it is wrong to judge someone for a wish to be protected. The most common and often the only possible way to solve the question of camera usage in such cases is to speak with the neighbor about the situation as currently there are no laws that forbid the CCTV for private reasons. The only situation when fines can be implemented is a severe invasion into a private life that can take place if neighbors cameras target is the territory out of his or her possession. But there should be a sufficient proof (Your Privacy, 2013). Moreover, everyone can occur in such a situation when it is the must to set cameras for private reasons explained by the surrounding. Before making any steps towards neighbor’s “disrespectful conduct”, real facts should be collected to avoid an awkward moment when personal importance is running too high. Summing up all the arguments, no reasons are left to fight because of CCTV cameras installed in most places as soon as all the rules and regulations are respected. Being flexible and being able to adjust to changes of the world is an obligatory ability in a modern world that has a very high speed of development in different spheres that have to be taken into account. Looking for protection it is not wise to protest against the system that is providing it. When there is an understanding of own wishes, there is no need to fight against the windmills. Everyone should make a choice in what surrounding to live. Reference List BSIA. (2009) June 29, Airport Security – CCTV Takes off [Online], 29 Jun, Available from: . [27 Jun 2014]. CCTV Information, n.d., CCTV User Guide for Shopping Environment [Online], Available from: . [27 Jun 2014]. Mansfield District Council, n.d., CCTV, [Online], Available from: . [27 Jun 2014]. NaCTSO, n.d., Counter Terrorism Protective Security Advice for Shopping Centers [Online], Available from: . [27 Jun 2014]. RetailCam, n.d., Retail Intelligence through CCTV [Online], Available from: . [27 Jun 2014]. Sandwell Homes, n.d., CCTV and Conciege System General Code of Practice, [Online], Available from: . [27 Jun 2014] Simon, L. (2014) March 05, More CCTV cameras coming to town centre to tackle vandalism, Scunthorpe Telegraph [Online], 05 Mar, Available from: . [27 Jun 2014]. Surveillance Road Map. (2014) A Shared Approach to the Regulatiuon of Surveillance in the United Kingdom, [Online], Available from: . [27 Jun 2014]. VideoSurveillance, n.d., Video Surveiilance for Traffic, [Online], Available from: . [27 Jun 2014]. Your Privacy, (2013) July 29, Does Neigbour’s Camera ContravenePrivacy Rights? [Online], 29 Jul, Available from: . [27 Jun 2014] ZeeNEWS. (2014) January 24, CCTV cameras on UK’s roads capture 26 million images daily [Online], 24 Jan, Available from: . [27 Jun 2014]. Read More