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Are security surveillance cameras a deterrent against criminal activity?

Around the world, cctv cameras are widely used as a tool for crime prevention by the public and private sectors.  London for example, is said to be one of the most watched places in the world with an estimated 500 000 security cameras installed in and around the city.  In New York, there are said to be over 4 000 cameras on bridges, in the subway and in tunnels whilst on the other side of the world, security surveillance cameras in Perth, Australia are an integral component of the authorities’ fight against crime.

Technological advances have also made camera surveillance even more effective, affordable and simpler to use – with people now even having the ability to operate their home security camera remotely using a computer or mobile phone.

Not everyone agrees with the idea of being watched ‘Big Brother’ style and there are critics who believe that surveillance cameras aren’t that effective in deterring criminals – but there is evidence that the footage that cameras provide can be pivotal to the successful prosecution of criminals, plus the cameras give citizens the peace-of-mind that they are being ‘looked after’.  For some people, security cameras represent an invasion of privacy and they resent the fact that their lives are being observed by strangers who haven’t been given their permission to do so.  It’s an ongoing debate – but there are many instances where cctv has proven to be an effective deterrent as well as being pivotal in the identification and prosecution of criminals.

For example, in London, the cctv systems provided police with crucial leads in their investigations of the July 2005 attacks on the city’s transit system.  CCTV in Perth gives us another example of how security cameras are effective in identifying criminals – recently a wild street brawl was captured on film and the six youths were identified and prosecuted.

Whether you like it or dislike it, cctv camera technology is here to stay and will continue to be used by governments, companies and ordinary people to protect themselves and their property from criminal elements.  

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