Brandon C. Welsh and David P. Farrington
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195326215
- eISBN:
- 9780199943999
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195326215.001.0001
- Subject:
- Sociology, Law, Crime and Deviance
The United Kingdom has more than 4.2 million public closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras—one for every fourteen citizens. Across the United States, hundreds of video-surveillance systems are ...
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The United Kingdom has more than 4.2 million public closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras—one for every fourteen citizens. Across the United States, hundreds of video-surveillance systems are being installed in town centers, public transportation facilities, and schools at a cost exceeding $100 million annually, and now other Western countries have begun to experiment with CCTV to prevent crime in public places. In light of this expansion and the associated public expenditure, as well as pressing concerns about privacy rights, there is an acute need for an evidence-based approach to inform policy and practice. This book assesses the effectiveness and social costs of not only CCTV, but also other surveillance methods to prevent crime in public space, such as improved street lighting, security guards, place managers, and defensible space. It goes beyond the question of “Does it work?” and examines the specific conditions and contexts under which these methods may have an effect on crime as well as the mechanisms that bring about a reduction in crime. At a time when cities need cost-effective methods to fight crime and the public gradually awakens to the burdens of sacrificing their privacy and civil rights for security, the authors provide this guide to the most effective and non-invasive uses of surveillance to make public places safer from crime.Less
The United Kingdom has more than 4.2 million public closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras—one for every fourteen citizens. Across the United States, hundreds of video-surveillance systems are being installed in town centers, public transportation facilities, and schools at a cost exceeding $100 million annually, and now other Western countries have begun to experiment with CCTV to prevent crime in public places. In light of this expansion and the associated public expenditure, as well as pressing concerns about privacy rights, there is an acute need for an evidence-based approach to inform policy and practice. This book assesses the effectiveness and social costs of not only CCTV, but also other surveillance methods to prevent crime in public space, such as improved street lighting, security guards, place managers, and defensible space. It goes beyond the question of “Does it work?” and examines the specific conditions and contexts under which these methods may have an effect on crime as well as the mechanisms that bring about a reduction in crime. At a time when cities need cost-effective methods to fight crime and the public gradually awakens to the burdens of sacrificing their privacy and civil rights for security, the authors provide this guide to the most effective and non-invasive uses of surveillance to make public places safer from crime.
Brandon C. Welsh and David P. Farrington
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195326215
- eISBN:
- 9780199943999
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195326215.003.0007
- Subject:
- Sociology, Law, Crime and Deviance
This chapter reviews the scientific evidence on the crime-prevention effectiveness of three major forms of public area surveillance: security guards, place managers, and defensible space. There is ...
More
This chapter reviews the scientific evidence on the crime-prevention effectiveness of three major forms of public area surveillance: security guards, place managers, and defensible space. There is fairly strong and consistent evidence that the defensible-space technique of street closures or barricades is effective in preventing crime in inner-city neighborhoods. Security guards represent a promising technique of formal surveillance when implemented in car parks and targeted at vehicle crimes, although the surveillance technique of place managers appears to be of unknown effectiveness in preventing crime in public places.Less
This chapter reviews the scientific evidence on the crime-prevention effectiveness of three major forms of public area surveillance: security guards, place managers, and defensible space. There is fairly strong and consistent evidence that the defensible-space technique of street closures or barricades is effective in preventing crime in inner-city neighborhoods. Security guards represent a promising technique of formal surveillance when implemented in car parks and targeted at vehicle crimes, although the surveillance technique of place managers appears to be of unknown effectiveness in preventing crime in public places.
