NCJ Number
215814
Journal
Security Journal Volume: 19 Issue: 2 Dated: 2006 Pages: 128-142
Date Published
2006
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This article presents an analysis of the changing nature of public-space closed-circuit television (CCTV) in the United Kingdom, with a focus on how public-space CCTV is used in practice.
Abstract
Overall, the analysis revealed that public-space CCTV has shifted from a singular focus on crime reduction to include an overarching community safety function. This shift occurred as the need for reassurance policing capabilities became increasingly evident in communities across the country. The author begins the analysis from the premise that the crime reduction focus on CCTV is a restrictive analysis of the services provided by public-space CCTV. If it is no longer correct to refer to public-space CCTV as a crime prevention measure, as many researchers contend, then the question is how has the use of public-space CCTV changed? The findings indicate that public-space CCTV has matured and its operational emphasis has adapted over time to incorporate a wider range of crime prevention and community safety activities. While CCTV still provides assistance to key law enforcement functions such as traffic enforcement, CCTV functions have moved toward general quality of life and social control issues such as supporting evictions, tenancy disputes, and public order issues. The range of activities that can be delivered by CCTV control rooms has also expanded to include 24-hour emergency call services and monitoring for fire, intruder, and security alarms, among other functions. Three case studies, which included interviews with 60 key stakeholders, are presented in which the CCTV services in 3 areas--South Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, and Glasgow--were investigated, with an emphasis on how their CCTV functions changed over time to include more community safety functions, such as monitoring the use of illegal bonfires and the misuse of fireworks. Tables, references, appendix