The Use of CCTV Technology - Report Example

TOPIC: TECHNOLOGY (NAME) (COURSE NAME) (INSTITUTIONS NAME) 14th March 2009 Abstract Security of people and property is an important phenomenon in the day to day operations. Security has been in the forefront in ensuring that development activities are undertaken without fear of losing properties. Lack of security is therefore the hindering factor in the progress of people, as well as development of different regions of the world. It is noticeable that regions that have adequate security are also more developed than those regions that do not have adequate security. For example, in war torn countries, security of people and property dwindles which discourages investors as well as other people from undertaking various development activities. In contrast, countries or states that enjoy relative security are populated by investors because the urge to carry out an activity an important activity is solely driven by the fact that the activity undertaken will not only be useful now but also in the future (Short and Ditton, 1995). In view of this, every human being and more scientifically every animal enjoys a conducive environment where it can breed and produce only when security prevails in its surrounding. However, in the recent past, security of people and property has been put at stake by the rising number of crime activities that have been witnessed in various parts of the world. Needless to say, it has become more obvious that terrorist activities have even surpassed other criminal activities such as burglary, theft, robbery, murder to mention a few (Graham and Marvin, 1996). According to Graham and Marvin 1996, this trend has been on an upward trend and more criminal activities have been at the onset of the 21st century. Harrison attributes this rising trend of insecurity worldwide to the emergence of powerful technology such as the use of computers where different criminal activities are carried out without the real knowledge of the security agencies. Fyfe (1995), observes that since technology has been used to carry out criminal activities, it is technology that will also be used to counteract any kind of criminal activities, However, Fyfe (1995) notes that unless superior technology is invented than that use by criminals and terrorist groups such as alquaeda, then it will be an uphill task to try to overcome insecurity globally. The world is rapidly being transformed into a global village. According to Fyfe and Bannister (1996), this trend is expected to generate beehive activities especially in the business arena with more investments escalating in different parts of the world. Unlike in the past where barter trade was practiced, it is quite evident that in recent business transactions technology has played a big role in ensuring that distance is no longer an obstacle in the business world. The emergence of such activities as mobile banking, e-commerce and many other recent technologies highlights the important of technology in the global front. It is therefore real than ever that the world will have to contend with the merging insecurity cases that result from enormous business activities that are being witnessed bin the contemporary world. Nevertheless, business activities are still continuing, investments are being carried out and businesses are still making profits albeit forces of demand and supply have resulted into the current economic crisis worldwide. Reiterating Fyfe and Bannister words, it is only superior technology that will therefore ensure that as the businesses grow into sizable capacities, enough and adequate security is also provide to ensure that people and their property are secure. This paper sets out to explore the emergence of the CCTV technology. Under this topic, this paper will explore whether CCTV technology is still working or not, whether criminals are still doing their job and the public opinion about this technology. In the next section I will therefore introduce the concept of CCTV technology. Introduction The origin of the Closed Circuit Television Systems (CCTV) can be dated back to 1940s to 1950s, specifically solid state cameras and analog recording systems which transformed surveillance into reality from just a concept. The traditional system made use of 75 Ohm cable. Top provide security to a wider area the cables were to connect multiple cameras and a home run to a multiplexer which was used to feed several video recorders that were situated in a control room that was centrally positioned (Parkinson.1985). Several monitors were used to view the images. One monitor had a switch that helped the people monitoring the ground, to switch to whichever camera they desired. Other monitors were used to receive the multiple feeds from the video in separate windows. The disadvantages inherent in this type of technology were in the cost incurred in coming up with a well equipped monitoring station. In addition, within the security infrastructure the centralized center was made up of a single point of failure. This means that all video control and feed cables had to be run at home. In this perspective, a new cable was required whenever a camera was moved. Hence the 1940s and 1950s CCTV technology had various shortcomings that made it hard for many private citizens and even companies to make use of it. Importantly, this early technology laid the foundation for the current and the contemporary state of the CCTV technology. However, with the escalating research, data and development as well as competition by various companies, the need to protect data as well as human resource has been in the forefront of many modern companies. As a result, CCTV technology has gained popularity as well as a wide usage in external structures, office buildings, city streets and in schools. For example, in Liverpool, England CCTV has been widely used in the streets to curb any kind of criminal activities. It has been used in Liverpool to target known criminals and banned individuals. In this respect, surveillance has emerged as one of the integral component of methods of access control which is amplified with biometrics, access tracking system and the security tracking system. The CCTV industry has now matured because in the recent past one can define a comprehensive and a consistent view of its working internally which is also shared by a majority of companies and individual citizens. Recently, CCTV technology of monitoring as well as information processing, has made it easier for the CCTV cameras to perform multiple duties such as that of operation and security monitoring in a wide range of locations. CCTV recording and monitoring with the help of the state-of -art computer technology is efficiently and easily manageable with less labor intensity and greater usefulness. Intelligent surveillance has been automated by the utilization of the IP-surveillance (www.itu.int) To operate the CCTV monitoring, leveraging the IP infrastructure network has helped greatly in reducing the inconveniences and the costs of wiring up and connecting a CCTV infrastructure. The modern CCTV technology monitoring stations are engineered and designed to ensure uninterrupted recording and running of high quality visuals and fast intranet and internet connectivity. In order to facilitate the operations continuity, many CCTV technology providers have gone an extra mile into hiring experts who provide both technical and centralized management support as well as preventative and proactive support in the CCTV technology. The use of sophisticated replay and management of camera control systems has been in the forefront by many security firms who have the CCTV technology. Such security firms are providing a highly and a complete professional system of CCTV monitoring technology system which has made it possible for continuous and event recording. In this respect, events are recorded and pictures monitored for viewing later in conjunction with a camera software management system. Main body Although there many emerging controversies surrounding the emergence of CCTV technology, there are many benefits that have been associated with this type of technology. CCTV has been attributed to faster view of any unnecessary intrusion from a location that is remote. It has also been associated with sufficient and adequate provision of evidence in a court of law regarding any unwarranted intrusion and lastly CCTV technology has been a big threat to the would-be vandals and thieves. Although more indirect, the use of CCTV has been associated with the reduction of business insurance rates. According to Bianchini (2000), statistics have indicted that the presence of CCTV in buildings and other public places reduces the rate of incidences such as pick pocketing, theft, burglary and other criminal incidents by over 60% (Bianchini, 200) In many occasions in history, after the installation of CCTV, employee theft in places such as in supermarkets as well as shoplifting dropped significantly. Although the number of thefts can not be numerically counted, but the measurement of theft shrinkage can be observed. This brings us to the argument that it is true that CCTV has been working. It has been shown and proved that CCTV brings about effective deterrent to crime psychologically. Since organizational data or information is very sensitive especially when it lands in the hands of the competitors, CCTV technology has been effective and it has worked in deterring workers or any other person from removing vital information from the organization inform of optical disks, magnetic disks and tapes, computer software, data on paper and microfilm. CCTV has continued to provide a means to successfully deter and detect such thievery and apprehending the culprits. In the latest wave of robbery, criminals have been invading ATM or the Automated Teller Machines with the aim of stealing the amounts of money packaged for the ATM users. To counteract these scenarios, organizations and particularly financial organization such as banks have installed CCTV in strategic positions near their ATMS in order to ensure that those responsible for such criminal activities are apprehended. In addition, CCTV has been in the forefront in prevention of willful property destruction such as defacing interior of elevators, buildings vandalization, painting graffiti on facilities and art objects, demolishing valuable equipment and furniture as well as destruction of computer rooms and labs. When integrated with other systems of sensing such as alarms, CCTV has been found to offer potential benefit especially when it is used to view remote places. This is true because CCTV when used in monitoring for a long period, it generates a large volume of tracking data. For example, to store a 24 hour of tracking data, the database of the surveillance camera require between 6 to 12 gigabytes. The majority of the space is consumed by the foreground object’s image. This makes CCTV a very realistic instrument in ensuring adequate security is provided in organizations as well as in private residential and public places (Mark, 2005. CCTV has also been associated with the declining court cases related to criminal activities. This is from the fact that, a CCTV camera captures both the action and the foreground object thus making it 100% reliable in providing the evidence required in courts. The culprit and the judge as well as the investigators are able to view the images recorded as well as the actions that were performed at that particular time when the object was captured. Since the CCTV can replay the video, it follows that even the criminal act that was carried out several weeks or months or years can be retrieved and justice sought concerning the victims of the incidences. Functionality of the CCTV technology. A CCTV selects all the objects that have used a specific exit or entry zone. It also retrieves all the objects that used a certain route at any particular time, it also retrieves all the objects that have visited different routes in a systematic manner or order inform of time, and the route taken, retrieves all the objects that have used a certain section of a route and it counts the popularity of the route in terms of the number of person that have use that route. This means that a CCTV camera does not mix up images and sought the images carefully so as to bring out the real facts concerning a certain object which can then be used to net criminals as well as acting as the evidence during court proceedings (Mark, 2005). For example, the image below was captured using a CCTV camera which shows the actual route through which the person is entering or exiting from, a clear facial image that can help in identification of the person, the time of entry or exit and the actual date on which this activity was carried out. This make the CCTV technology a more reliable, competent and effective technology for netting suspects who commit barbaric acts in public places and also in shopping malls (www.jpeg.org) Many countries such as the United States, England, and Canada are actively installing CCTV cameras in the city streets to make the streets safe for shoppers. For example, in Liverpool, England and British Columbia in Canada, CCTV cameras have been installed in almost every street to ensure that buglers and shoplifters are apprehended immediately and charged there and then without the need to involve the police. Street and store guards have been mandated to punish and apprehend a shoplifter without the need to involve the police thus making it simpler for the police to deal with other complicated criminal activities. This is carried out with proper evidence from the CCTV cameras which shows the actual criminal activity that is carried out by the culprit, the actual time when the criminal activity was carried out and the actual date on which such actions are carried out. Statistics from Liverpool have shown that in 1970s, the number of criminal activities reported inn police stations were enormous and they were not comparable to any other town in the world. However, with the establishment of the camera network in 1994, the rate of criminal activities have decline sharply. The network system forms part of an extensive surveillance network which links the police, private security and in house store security via a radio or an early warning system which makes it possible the monitoring of person through both open public space and private shop space. The cameras are specifically installed in escape routes and in trouble spots in order to reduce the rate of crime in Liverpool. In this perspective, CCTV technology is still working in many places of the world. Even with this trend of CCTV installation in different locations, in towns, in shopping malls, in private residential places to mention a few, it is till evident that the criminal and terrorists groups are still doing their criminal activities. This is partly associated with the fact that some emerging criminal gangs are ignorant of the effects and the impact of the CCTV technology in netting them, complete lack of information regarding where the cameras are situated and the fact that most of them carry out the criminal activities while putting on masks that make it possible for the cameras to capture the facial images which are more often used in the identification of the culprits. The rising populations and deteriorating rates of employment as well as lack of support programs for the youths have also contributed largely to the increasing criminal activities that have been catalyzed by the fact that idle youths spend most of their time coming up with technologies that counteracts the already security technology such as CCTV in order to carry out their criminal activities. In this perspective, criminals are still carrying out their criminal activities in spite of the installation of the CCTV technologies. Public Opinion on CCTV The CCTV technology has been faced by criticism in its attempt to increase security in the U.K. Public opinion of CCTV is mainly centered on two major issues, that is, invasion of privacy and crime prevention. Even though many people admit that they feel a sense of safety in areas with CCTV, a proportion of these people also express concern over CCTV being too near their area of residence thus invading their privacy. The truth is, CCTV has contributed to reducing the fear of crime and enhanced the perception of security in places covered by CCTV networks. Significant venture on CCTV has been put in place within many areas boosting security. According to William, Lois and Brian, (2001), public opinion portrays significant support for the use of CCTV technology within the city. The support of CCTV provision of security and their continued use have been by a greater older generation above 55 years and women. However, a significant percentage of people in the UK feel that the CCTV technology infringe their individual rights. Some people express the feeling that CCTV is unavoidable and a sad reflection on the society, even though they are beneficial. Although the main fear articulated by the public is the apparent risk to their civil liberties and the violation on their human rights, with a continued increase in use of CCTV. This fear is further extended by the idea of a possible Orwellian future should the government, police or other security agency choose to misuse their authority by persecuting individuals on the basis of statistical information collected without consent (Janet, James and Deborah, 2004). Collectively with impending technological advances, for example face recognition, which is still in its infancy, could be a powerful instrument in pacifying whole societies. There is also concern over the illegal access of CCTV recording apart from government permitted use. People fear that, CCTV recordings may be used for personal or individual interest that will probably invade the privacy and the rights of people. In this context, the public is concerned about their use thus arguing that they may be used by criminals to commit more crimes. CCTV surveillance provides a close clear view of a particular place, its occupants 24/7 all year round. The recorded videos may be used by people with an intention of investigating a particular person private life or scrutinize the place by observing the routine of daily operation. Also in the same line, CCTV recording technology has been associated with the possibility of criminals mounting their own cameras around a place for the purpose of analyzing the set up to ease their criminal operations. The UK watchdog Camera Watch in 2007 alleged that majority of the CCTV cameras in most cities in the UK are operated illegally or in a bleach of privacy policies. Besides, the public who argue that the technology does not reduce crime but displaces it has criticized CCTV surveillance. This has made a significant number of people to blame the government for the implementation of this technology as a security measure. They usually compare CCTV to “Big Brother Surveillance” that has been discussed inn Orwell’s novel, Nineteen-Eighty-Four. In his novel, he featured a two-way telescreen in all homes through which the populace would be monitored. The implementation of CCTV in residential places has worsened the situation. The public has highly criticized its use as a social control measure rather than a crime reducing strategy. Positive opinions of CCTV technology have argued that the cameras do not interfere with people's privacy, because they do not survey private, but rather public space, where the right to privacy of an individual can reasonably be weighed against the need for public protection. Janet, James and Deborah (2004), have noted that the public opinion on CCTV have been favorable since the London bombing of September 11, 2001. The public clearly admitted that the surveillance of CCTV played a great role in post event investigations. The implementation of Automatic Number Plate recognition creates a prospective source of information about the location of an individual or groups. However, there is no technological restriction preventing a network of such cameras from tracing the movement of a person. The technology has been highly critiqued for misreading numbers resulting to the billing of the mistaken person. CCTV critics perceive the most worrying advancement to this technology as the recognition of faces from high-definition CCTV images, which could determine the identity of a person without informing him that his identity is being checked and logged. This system is capable of checking several thousands of faces in a database in less than a second. Many people believe that, the development of CCTV in public places, connected to computer databases of individual’s pictures and identity, poses a serious breach of civil liberties. Critics fear the likelihood that one would be unable to meet secretly in a public place or walk and drive anonymously around a place. Consequently, demonstrations or assemblies in public places could be tampered with, as the government would be able to collect lists of leaders, participants or those talking with the protesters in the streets during these demonstrations and assemblies. CCTV countermeasures by public Due to the fear of the public on disrupting their privacy, CCTV cameras have been found to be exposed to a number of tactics against them most of which are illegal. In the UK, people find themselves doing all crazy things possible to evade the CCTV cameras, which they believe are a nuisance to their liberty. Some people will deliberately destroy cameras by shooting them with guns, painting them Some outdoor CCTV cameras employed in some points have bullet-resistant housing which make them secure from destruction by criminals or people who are against there use (Leigh and Brian, 2001). Spraying substances over the lens makes the image too blurry to be read something, which makes identification a problem. Laser pointers can momentarily blind cameras while higher powered lasers can damage them. Though, since most lasers are monochromatic, color filters can help decrease the effect of laser pointers. A signal at the same frequency of the CCTV wireless network is supposedly able to jam it. Criminals have also ignored the presence of CCTV cameras in that, they are almost unavoidable. This has made them to improvise their operations to counter for the implications of CCTV. The public perceive the effectiveness of CCTV as limited by such factors. Therefore, the public does not entirely rely on the CCTV as a security measure and argues that, instead security should be beefed by increasing the number of security personnel (Dee, 2006). CCTV has been used for other purposes other than security measures in the UK and other countries. This is usually in line with serious criminal activities which involve people that may be trusted in the government. Cases of assassination, murder, organized crime and even human and drug trafficking deals have been known to use CCTV technology. The question remains, if the government is responsible for the licensing of CCTV implementation, then who are the perpetrators. The public therefore tends to worry even more for their safety. The government reaction to criticism It is clear that, CCTV faces more negative criticism than positive criticism. However, the government is not ready to withdraw CCTV surveillance especially in public areas as it have proven to reduce crime and also assist in investigations of high level crimes. Besides, CCTV surveillance is a definite proof of protection of public property. However, the government have embraced criticism from the public and have addressed concern over some disturbing issues about CCTV surveillance to the public. The United Kingdom Data Protection Act of 1998 led to legal limitations on the uses of CCTV recordings, and mandated CCTV registration with the UK Data Protection Agency, 2004. The successor to the Data Protection Agency, which is the Information Commissioner’s Office clarified the registration of all CCTV systems and immediate deletion of archived recordings. This has reduced the possibility of illegally operated CCTV surveillance by criminals or other bodies such as social research agency, which sometimes uses CCTV for observation of people’s behavior. However, following a case law (Durant vs. FSA) has limited the extent of the protection provided by this law. Therefore, not all CCTV systems in use in the UK are currently regulated. Private organization’s personnel who control or monitor CCTV devices or systems in urban centers in the UK are considered security guards and they have been made subject to state licensing. In addition, a report by the UK's Information Commissioner’s Office in 2007, highlighted the need for the public to be informed of the creeping encroachment into their privacy created by the increasing use of CCTV surveillance cameras. Politicians had warned prior to the report that the government is sleepwalking into a surveillance society. This is an important step for the government to create confidence with people (Dee, 2006). It is important that people are made aware of the implications of CCTV surveillance on their rights to liberty. The question however remains, whether the bleaching of public liberty and right to privacy is worth at the expense of security. This means, for instance, that a municipality using CCTV to protect a municipal bus park is only allowed to use the footage to help in a criminal investigation and should not be passed to a third party, such as media people e.g. a newspaper, television or use it for other reasons. But civil liberties groups cry foul that regulation of CCTV is not strong enough and the rules are regularly violated. Liberty estimates that almost 70 per cent of surveillance systems in the UK are illegal in some way. Ethically, CCTV has been highly criticized. According to William, Lois and Brian, (2001), often there is warning or sign that one is being filmed and there is barely any information on who to contact to see one's footage. Some cities use CCTV systems as a way of social cleansing. For example, a group of teenagers in a shopping centre will be followed round by cameras depending on their age and gender, but not because they are doing anything wrong. Often, security guards will mark a tramp on camera and eject the teenager from the centre because he or she looks scruffy. Argument however goes in that the privacy of an individual has to be weighed against the possible benefits to the large community, but in real consideration, privacy should be an ultimately fundamental right. Reports of security agencies selling CCTV footage of people making love in the streets have been in increase. These footages may sometimes be put on pornographic websites. Last year for example, a man was awarded 7,800 pounds in damages after his footages attempting suicide were given to media companies. The European Court of Human Rights ruled out that Geoffrey Peck's privacy had been bleached by Brentwood Council in Essex passing film from their surveillance cameras to television and newspaper companies. Mr. Peck, 47, was trying to slash his wrists in Brentwood high street in 1996 due to severe depression after losing his job and learning that his partner was suffering from a terminal illness. He was found and led away by police although he was not charged with any crime. However, the man said that his life was shattered when his footage was publicized to show the success of CCTV technology in crime prevention (BBNET, 2004). The UK government has however been successful in the use of CCTV technology to combat some form of dangerous crimes such as terrorism. This is through the people’s opinion that it is effective in the post event investigations. The increased fear of the CCTV surveillance being operated illegally is also a concern to the government. The Information Commissioner's Office however denied such claims putting forward that, any reported cases of the Data Protection Act violation are swiftly investigated. In the United States of America, such data protection mechanisms are not in existence. The fourth Amendment prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures raises issues in US of whether CCTV evidence is acceptable (Leigh and Brian, 2001). The use of video surveillance in Canada has grown rapidly. In some states such as Ontario, the municipal and provincial versions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, stipulates very specific guidelines regarding any information gathered or released through CCTV technology (William, Lois and Brian, 2001). In the UK, measures have also been put in place for people, businesses, organizations and institutions that wish to implement the use of CCTV. There should be a reasonable basis for its installation such as reduce theft lest one may not be granted the permission to implement CCTV technology. Most often, people question the use of CCTV for crime prevention. CCTV cameras do not discriminate as they takes the images of everyone who comes across its view. The government tries to keep the public safe by ensuring them that, when there is nothing for an innocent person to worry about. Conclusion The use of CCTV technology has gained popularity all over the world. Both developed and developing countries are using this technology for various purposes the main one being security. The use of CCTV may vary from country to country depending on the existing legislations governing their use and control. In the UK the use of CCTV can be accredited to some extent for fighting crime especially terrorism. It has been difficult for terrorists to hit UK than any other place in the world which is accredited to the extensive implementation of CCTV technology. On the other hand, CCTV have got limitations that has led it to face a myriad of critiques regarding both its effectiveness and ethical considerations. It has been found that, whereas the technology has managed to prevent some crime, there has been an increased potential of criminal activities in the UK cities. The implementation of CCTV has greatly been criticized for its ethical use. This has been associated with the violation of privacy of the public, the bleaching of liberty. There government has instead used the criticism in developing UK legislations governing its use and control. For example, the registration of all CCTV cameras. The effectiveness of this measures have not been well established as they also face challenges from the public who have realized little or no change at all with the use of this legislations. REFERENCES Anixter Introduces Enhanced Version of CCTP available from www.anixter.com,(Retrieved on 6th March 2009) Information technology - Generic coding of moving pictures and associated audio information: Video H.262, International Telecommunication Union available from www.itu.int (Retrieved on 6th March 2009) Joint Photographic Experts Group, available from www.jpeg.org (Retrieved on 6th March 2009) Moving Pictures Expert Group available from www.mpeg.org (Retrieved on 6th March 2009) Video codec for audiovisual services at px 64 kbit/s, H.261. 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