CCTV: A Tool for Security Management - Essay Example

? CCTV: A Tool for Security Management Outline Introduction Main Body Conclusion Introduction Closed – circuit television (CCTV) or the use of video cameras to monitor the public on a specific place is relatively not a new idea but is widely used in a wide array of areas around the world. In fact, the case of United Kingdom is something exceptional for it has been reported to have more cameras for every person than the case of other countries around the globe (Lewis, 2009). Nevertheless, the exact count of how many cameras is used in the country is not identified yet (Lewis, 2009). Though one thing is certain, millions of people are under surveillance through the use of these video cameras. On the one hand, surveillance perhaps is the first and foremost the purpose of CCTV. Its significance to governance is not denied (Deflem, 2008). Through monitoring the public, the government and other institutions can manage security (Bennett and Lyon, 2008; Borodzicz, 2005; Burstein, 1996; Johnson, 2005; Trevor and Newburn, 1998; and Zedner, 2009). Surveillance of the public through CCTV is in particular advantageous and effective for crime prevention and resolving crimes (Deflem, 2008; and Felson and Clark, 1997). CCTV is useful for counter – terrorism mechanisms (Lyon, 2003; Oehmichen, 2009; Demlcitncr, 2002; Forst, Green and Lynch, 2011; and Clarke, 2003). It is also functional for traffic monitoring and traffic safety (Deflem, 2008). In this case, the practise of surveillance through the use of CCTV can be perceived as extension of the power of state. Surveillance through the means of CCTV is nothing but mechanism of social control. Meanwhile, given the prevalence of the use of CCTV around the world especially in the case of United Kingdom, however, it does not mean that it has no issues. In fact, one among the concerns is that there are no boundaries on the intrusion to the private spheres amongst individuals when they are under surveillance via CCTV (Aas, 2009). The exact numbers and locations of CCTV are not known by the citizens. Individuals do not know exactly when their private lives are captured by the lenses of the video cameras. Thus, privacy matters are certainly interfered in this sense. In this regard, this paper aims to critically look and analyse the arguments on the use of CCTV for security management. Main Body According to Deflem (2008), surveillance is not a new conceptual invention and not even a new practise of the state. The concept of surveillance was discussed long ago by Foucault in 1977 in the birth of the prison. For Foucault, surveillance is a term central for both discipline and governmentality. Prior to disciplining the citizens of the state, they must first undergo a series of continuous surveillance. Individuals are then supervised constantly in which their ways of conducts are assessed. This manner of surveillance among the citizens is important to the government for the reason that it is only through continuous supervision that the state can identify if the citizens are behaving under the normative standards. When individuals are no longer conducting themselves within the norms, the government must function to discipline them. In order to discipline the public, the state must first identify what behaviors are in need of improvement. The government must then operate to punish these individuals who are behaving outside the normative standards. The behaviors of the people must then be normalized. Disciplinary mechanisms of the state are employed among people who are caught through the continuous surveillance of the state amongst its citizens. Surveillance is implemented by the state for the government to exercise its sovereign power. The government exercises such power in order to control the society. On the one hand, surveillance is such a strong notion, a concept of power. It is such a term that is rooted from its origins in the arena of politics as well as policy. Indeed, such term is a concept of governance. In the level of governance, surveillance is used not just as for politics but more especially as means of power. Through surveillance, the arena of conduct among individuals is known. This is not just limited to the corporate action but also captures the private zones of people (Deflem, 2008). In the contemporary world, the use of CCTV is debated. The usage of CCTV in monitoring the public has its advantages but of course, its disadvantages should not be disregarded as well. Arguments circling around the practise of CCTV are concerning security matters against privacy issues. The relevance of CCTV in the state is not denied. CCTV is a tool used for surveillance of the public. Security management is primarily the function played by CCTV. According to Zedner (2009), the term security is an unrestrained concept because it is widely used in different fields including health and safety, social security, financial security, environmental security, human security, military security, national security as well as policing and community safety. The concept itself has multiple identities which allows and hides a wide array of prevailing practises. In some domains, security is perceived as a defence of the sovereign state versus the considered menace of the state. In the sphere of criminology, the past clear – cut distinctions between crime and terrorism, domestic and national security, policing and security services, and others are now distorted. The notion of security cannot be fully appreciated and known when it is situated out of its context. Meanwhile, according to Borodzicz (2005), risk and security are two ideas that are related to one another. This linkage amongst risk, crisis and security must be perceived in one organizational context for it to be successfully managed; otherwise, it will bring failure. Risk has happened to overshadow the consideration of managing security, for example, the September 11 bombing. Security is something that has no definite definition but can be categorised into eight (8) types. Meanwhile, the state functions to regulate security such as first, risk and lost management; second, as management activity; and third as management totem. On the one hand, surveillance of the public via CCTV is helpful for addressing security as a concept under criminal justice. As mentioned earlier, Zedner (2009) states that for the criminologists in particular, there is a significant link between security and criminal justice as well. Security is seen to be crucial to both national crime control and policing. To promote security means preventing the criminal activities. In this regard, surveillance through CCTV, a product of modern technology, is implemented. This technological advancement with now more affordable cost, CCTV, is currently used as a form of social control or maybe the case that it has been one among the effective methods used by the bureaucracy as methods of control. It is also the case that the surveillance of society through different means including CCTV has been a basis for continuing modification in practise of criminal justice as well as policing. Likewise, the more CCTVs used for security measures, the more the society should be considered as normal. This is because of the fact that CCTV cameras present the likelihood of occurrence of crime. In this regard, protection is greatly supported by the means of surveillance via CCTV. Meanwhile, surveillance through the use of CCTV also functions as a tool for counter – terrorism mechanism (Zedner, 2009; Lyon, 2003; Oehmichen, 2009; Demlcitncr, 2002; Forst, Green and Lynch, 2011; and Clarke, 2003). According to Clarke (2003), Lyon (2003) and Deflem (2008), since the events of bombing of September 11, the practise of surveillance has been extensive. Deflem (2008) presents the objectives and also the counter – objectives of surveillance of the society. The objectives include, of course, the identification of suspicious behaviors as well as the suspicious individuals (Deflem, 2008). Nonetheless, such surveillance among the new culture of suspicion is highly racial because of the fact that under the surveillance system, individuals are profiled (Deflem, 2008). In this sense, such overactive surveillance makes the minority groups be extra conscious of their distinction from the dominant members of society (Deflem, 2008). All the same, for Deflem (2008), the highly developed ways of surveillance which includes the use of CCTV is nothing but extension of power of the government. Moreover, according to Deflem (2008), another function of CCTV in order for security management is in traffic monitoring, control and avoidance of vehicle accidents. CCTVs are used in the wide - ranging traffic – monitoring systems because of its capacity to detect traffic jamming and also its ability to spot accidents. Aside from that, surveillance CCTV cameras also function as traffic enforcement cameras. CCTV can also read without human intervention the plate numbers of vehicles. If there are concerns like not paying charges, the cars can be searched and have fines. CCTV can also help locate the stolen cars. Furthermore, according to Farson (1992), it is indeed the case that CCTV cameras used for surveillance work as means for intelligence services of the state. Surveillance is a critical element of the government because of its power and control (Farson, 1992). CCTV has been a powerful tool of the state in order to control the society. Just like what Deflem (2008) has suggested through the works of Foucault, surveillance is necessary in order for the government to identify the delinquent or the non – normative behaviors of individuals. The function of CCTV, as a whole, is something that the state benefits from for the most part. Surveillance is necessary to regulate order in society. By means of CCTV, security is much more manageable. Suspicious actions and suspicious persons are more likely to be noticed. Prevention is to be expected than letting crimes and other forms of conducts outside the norm to take place. Because of the ability of CCTV, the state can break into spaces which now happen to be inside the realms of their control. As Aas (2009) states, surveillance has the power to change the relationship between the citizens and the state. Some cases are that individuals try to align their conducts in places where there are cameras watching over them (Deflem, 2008). The state can discipline its people to ensure a secured society through the means of surveillance. The use of CCTV can benefit not only the state but the society as a whole in its promise of security. After situating the advantages of CCTV in the society, it is the case that the CCTV also drives the disappearance between the borders of public and private spheres for the reason that it can break into the private arenas of individuals (Aas, 2009; and Deflem 2008). Meanwhile, the ethical issues governing the use of surveillance CCTV cameras are raised as well (Von Silva-Tarouca Larsen, 2011). The ethics and principles of CCTV surveillance are questioned since surveillance through CCTV is widely used and because of the fact that it can record set of events. Surveillance is only acceptable under sets of certain circumstances like documenting such significant unlawful behaviors (Von Silva-Tarouca Larsen, 2011). However, it captures such far – reaching scenes. The disadvantage of the use of CCTV is the loss of privacy among individuals, especially those who are under surveillance. By means of surveillance, privacy is defeated. Privacy is defined as an important aspect of dignity among individuals where they can organise themselves for social protest as well as rooms for making decisions (Aas, 2009). It is argued that even in public arenas, people must still have their own rights to privacy or public privacy. However, with the widespread use of surveillance cameras, privacy in the public spheres is overthrown. Deflem (2008) states that with the given surveillance cameras, the lives of people, both public and private, are intruded by the state. Because of this intrusion, the state has the capacity to control the citizens, most especially, the public spheres of people. Individuals must align themselves in the normative standards as imposed by the government. In the attempt to control the public, the people are greatly affected. The effect is not limited to their rights to privacy but also impacts the understanding of the public in terms of rights to free speech and rights to assembly (Deflem, 2008). Meanwhile, Von Silva-Tarouca Larsen (2011) claims that aside from violating the rights to privacy of the citizens, CCTV surveillance also breaks into citizen’s anonymity within the public realms. In this regard, the liberty and dignity are both threatened. Thus, the use of CCTV compromises a few ethical standards. It is also the case that the recordings of surveillance CCTV can access the materials through illegal means and use them illegally. It may be the case that the intended benefits of surveillance CCTV are more than negative impacts of it when weighed, especially that surveillance cameras are argued to be used not with the intention to monitor the private space but the public sphere indeed. Nonetheless, it is still the case that privacy is a right that must be practised by the citizens of the state. It is apparent how surveillance mechanisms of the state are violating privacy rights of individuals despite the aim of security management. Given that even the privacy in public sphere is violated, Aas (2009) states that a large dose of such surveillance through CCTV is a threat to individual freedom. By means of surveillance, social and political changes are not possible given that CCTV functions as a tool of power by the state. On the one hand, going back to Foucault’s conception of the term surveillance, indeed, it is without a doubt why it is a crucial element of the state. Aside from the fact that surveillance via CCTV cameras can be used as means of security management such as preventing the likelihood of occurrence of crimes and other terroristic attacks, monitoring traffic, detecting and solving crimes and other concerns, what is often overlooked is the fact that the state’s intrusion to the privacy of people, in particular, the interference to the public privacy of individuals, is also not done accidentally or that it is not without a single purpose. This is because surveillance of individuals is significant for both discipline and governmentality. In order to discipline and punish the people, they must first be monitored and that their ways must be assessed. The state must ensure that everything is under their control and that there would be no any destructive behaviors and individuals that could disrupt the order within the state. In this regard, looking only at suspicious behaviors and individuals are not enough but that it is also necessary for the state to look beyond the private matters of individuals, especially the privacy in the public realms. If there is anything or anyone that is happened to be against the state, the government can work on stopping him or her already before the problem to get even more intense. The government must then function to punish these individuals who are behaving outside their imposed normative standards. Surveillance is implemented by the state for the government to exercise its sovereign power. The government exercises such power in order to control the society. Surveillance should go beyond private matters even if this is not what people used to know. This is because of the fact that surveillance is a powerful mechanism of the state to exercise its power. Conclusion CCTV has been defined in its context of security management. What is obvious is its function for surveillance among the public. In the critical analysis of surveillance via the use of CCTV, it is strengthened that CCTV functions as powerful means of the state. CCTV is a tool to reinforce and exercise its power. CCTV is an extension of the state for social control. Indeed, it is the case that the government practises surveillance through a number of CCTVs. In fact, the case of United Kingdom has happened to be the region of the world whose practise of surveillance via CCTV is most prevalent. The benefits of CCTV are without a doubt, extremely functional for the government. This is for the reason that monitoring the public does only function for crime prevention and resolving crimes (Deflem, 2008; and Felson and Clark, 1997) and that it is also useful for counter – terrorism mechanisms (Lyon, 2003; Oehmichen, 2009; Demlcitncr, 2002; Forst, Green and Lynch, 2011; and Clarke, 2003) but also its function of interference to privacy among individuals. Well, it may be regarded that the state claims that what is only necessary for them is not the private matters of people but the events and situations that are needed for resolving issues or preventing disorder like crimes. But in the event of interference of the people’s privacy, people must think of what really is the function of CCTV that is often the case neglected or only understood at a superficial level. To conclude, I can say that CCTV is a powerful tool of the state because of the fact that it serves as eyes of the government. CCTV can see and monitor the ways of individuals. The more the CCTVs are and the further they can encompass, the more the state controls the society. This is because the government watches over every move the citizens make. This is not just because with the intent of securing people against the crimes, terrorisms, and others, but also, CCTV functions to protect the government from whatever disorder is likely to happen. When I say disorder, it is not only limited to crimes and terrorisms but also the assembly of people demanding for social and political changes. The practise of surveillance through the use of CCTV is extension of the power of state. Surveillance through the means of CCTV is nothing but mechanism of social control. Furthermore, surveillance intimidates the freedom of the people. By freedom, this is not just limited to freedom of speech but as well as assembly. Anonymity of the people in public arenas is also defeated because of the video cameras that are monitoring them. Individuals, even not suspicious looking, are monitored and governed by the lenses of the video cameras. This is because once individuals say or form a group against the state, these individuals are the threats to the government. Surveillance through the use of CCTV is a powerful tool by the state because it always watches over people. Thus, part of the function of CCTV in security management is controlling whatever behaviors of people which are not included in the acceptable measures of the state. These people must be punished and disciplined and should act within the norms. CCTV is a form of social power and social control. References: Aas, Katja Franko. 2009. Surveillance: citizens and the State. Surveillance & Society, 6(3): 317-321. Bennett, C.J. and Lyon, D. (ed.) (2008) Playing the identity card: surveillance, security and identification in global perspective. London; New York: Routledge. Borodzicz, E.P. (2005) Risk, crisis and security management. West Sussex, England; Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Burstein, H. (1996) Security: A management perspective. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Clarke, Lee (ed.) (2003). Terrorism and disaster: new threats, new ideas. Amsterdam; Boston: Elsevier/JAI. Clear, T.R., Cadora E., Bryer S. and Swartz. C. (2003) Community justice. Belmont, California: Thomson/Wadsworth. Demlcitncr, N. V. (2002) Immigration threats and rewards: Effective law enforcement tools in the "war" on terrorism? Emory Law Journal, 51, 1059-1094. Deflem, M. (ed.) (2008) Surveillance and governance: crime control and beyond. Bingley, UK: Emerald/JAI. Farson, S. (1992). Criminology, policing and intelligence studies. Journal of Conflict Studies 12(3): 7-29. Felson, M. and Clarke, R.V. (1997) Business and crime prevention. New York: Willow Tree Press. Forst, B., Greene, J.R. and Lynch, J.P. (ed.) (2011) Criminologists on terrorism and homeland security. New York, N.Y.: Cambridge University Press. [E-book] Johnson, B. R. (2005) Principles of security management. Upper Saddle River, N.J. Pearson Prentice Hall. Lewis, Paul (2009). Every step you take: UK underground centre that is spy capital of the world. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/mar/02/westminster-cctv-system-privacy. Lyon, D. (2003) Surveillance after September 11. London: Polity. Norris, C. and Armstrong, G. (1999) Maximum Surveillance Society. London: Berg. Oehmichen, A. (2009) Terrorism and anti-terror legislation, the terrorised legislator? : a comparison of counter-terror legislation and its implications on human rights in the legal systems of the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany and France. Antwerp; Portland [Or.]: Intersentia. Trevor, J. and Newburn T. (1998) Private security and public policing. New York: Oxford University Press. Von Silva-Tarouca Larsen, B. (2011). Setting the watch: Private and the ethics of CCTV surveillance. Oxford: Hart Publishing. Zedner, Lucia (2009) Security. Routledge. Read More