NCJ Number
125791
Date Published
1990
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This chapter reviews studies that have measured the effectiveness of electronic surveillance systems in the London subway system (England) and the Miami Beach downtown retail area.
Abstract
The London surveillance system has cameras in four London subway stations; transmissions are sent to a central monitoring site. The cameras provide viewing of all principal station areas, they are conspicuously mounted, and notices announce their use. The evaluation shows that the cameras have reduced the incidence of both theft and robbery, with some evidence of displacement of theft offenses to other non-camera stations. The Miami Beach system covers a large, outside public area with microwave television cameras atop traffic lights providing surveillance of a downtown shopping district. Although businesses have not experienced a drop in victimizations since the installation of the system, targeted street crimes have significantly dropped. Area merchants and residents support the project, but equipment malfunctioning has reduced support for it among political leaders. Citizen support for these electronic surveillance projects is high, even though they do involve government surveillance of citizens in public places. A potential negative effect of these systems is a reduction in a personalized police presence. Long-term studies must monitor such social effects of electronic surveillance over time. 22 references.