Closed Circuit Television
Closed Circuit Television in Public Places: Its Acceptability and Perceived Effectiveness
Closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras are now a common sight on public highways and in shopping malls and arcades. As the number of systems has increased so has their technological sophistication. Little was known about public opinion towards CCTV or indeed about how the systems are used by those who install them.
In 1991 the Home Office commissioned a comprehensive examination of public attitudes towards a number of issues surrounding the use of CCTV including public awareness of CCTV systems; their perceived purpose and effectiveness; concern over their use and who the public feel should and who should not be allowed to install CCTV and have subsequent access to taped material. The results of this work are described in this report.
Key points
CCTV has a broadly positive reception from members of the general public. Levels of concern are not high and CCTV is assumed to be effective in crime control. However, public acceptance is based on limited, and partly inaccurate knowledge of the functions and capabilities of CCTV systems in public places.
There may be a need for guidelines that will make possible an informed public acceptance of CCTV through fuller consultation and the provision of information.
There is also a need to encourage operational procedures that will maximise the effectiveness of CCTV and minimise any threat to civil liberties which may arise from either sloppy practice or the deliberate misuse of such systems. Any guidelines must anticipate future problems due to the proliferation of CCTV systems, and the pace of technological development which allows increasingly powerful forms of surveillance.
Getting a copy
“Closed Circuit Television in Public Places” (PDF format) is available from the Home Office RDS website.
Scarman Centre Review of CCTV Effectiveness
Existing Home Office Research and other evaluations indicate that CCTV can be effective in reducing crime and fear of crime and in helping the police detect crime and convict criminals as part of an overall strategy. Studies, for example, show a 41% overall decrease in vehicle crime in car parks where CCTV has been installed - contributing to the Governments overall target of a national 30% reduction in vehicle crime by 2004.
To help ensure maximum impact and sustainability of CCTV, a £1.5 million Home Office funded central evaluation programme will be carried out by the Scarman Centre, University of Leicester, on 17 approved CCTV Initiative schemes. This study will include contextual factors, pre and post implementation surveys and control areas and will aim to answer the following:
How cost-effective is it?
What is the impact in residential areas?
Under what conditions does it work best?
What is the impact on the fear of crime?
How effective are mobile schemes?
What is the impact on detection, arrest, conviction, guilty pleas and patrolling strategies?
Is crime displaced to areas without cameras, or is crime reduced outside the CCTV area?
What is the deterrent effect on potential and convicted offenders?
The Scarman Report will not be published until 2004 but interim reports will be available before then, the first being ready in November 2002.
Last update: 14 February 2005