Closed circuit television or CCTV systems are becoming increasingly common in our communities. But what are the pros and cons of installing this type of surveillance around the neighbourhood, your business or home?
Why use Closed Circuit Television systems?
Closed-circuit television (CCTV), also known as video surveillance, is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific location, such as a set of monitors.
According to police, the upside to CCTV is that it can identify a person’s face at key vantage points around a property, such as entries, exits, or sales counters. It can also be used to identify their car licence plates.
CCTV systems record footage that can later be used as evidence.
Today’s advanced CCTV devices also have sufficient frame-rate to track moving targets**.
By recording images of offenders police can not only identify suspects, but easily gather evidence for court action.
Read more: 6 ways to keep your property safe
Around the neighbourhood
Police and crime prevention groups such as Neighbourhood Watch say the main advantage to CCTV is tracking offenders who frequent known trouble spots.
This can include pubs, 24-hour trading fast food outlets, train stations and hoon hotspots.
In this scenario, CCTV acts as both a visual deterrent but also serves as a means to make people feel safe around their local hangouts.
![CCTV camera in apartment](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 550 350"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Advantages for traders
CCTV also represents a win-win for traders.
The risk and costs resulting from vandalism and theft can be signficant, but they’re are reduced through the the use of video surveillance. Customers too feel more secure shopping at CCTV monitored businesses.
Another big advantage of CCTV cameras is that they deter crime just by being there. Potential offenders tend to stay away from monitored areas if they know they are being watched.
CCTV cameras deter crime simply by their presence.
Recent research from the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) indicates that CCTV is most successfully used at car parks**.
Privacy & deterrence matters
Critics, however, say that CCTV merely pushes criminals away, leading them to search out new areas for their illegal activities. Others say urban planning improvements, such as better lighting around alleyways, may be more effective as a deterrent.
There are also obvious privacy concerns, with civil liberties groups warning that images of law-abiding citizens may be misused or kept without their knowledge.
Studies show that many people are fine with CCTV so long as the cameras are appropriately monitored.
A meta-analysis of 41 studies around the UK and Queensland into the use of CCTV in residential areas by the AIC found that local residents didn’t find cameras in public spaces an invasion of privacy, but they questioned how actively cameras were being monitored.
CCTV around the home
Along with the rise of CCTV in public spaces is the increase of similar systems in private homes around Australia.
ADT Security Director, Christian Dorau, says more homeowners are now opting to buy CCTV for their residences.
“It’s more and more common,” Dorau says, “particularly for homeowners with children and those living in high traffic areas.”
People that have purchased property on main roads, near public housing or former industrial areas may find CCTV appealing as they wait for their neighbourhood to become more community-friendly.
Adds Dorau, “some people may purchase homes in areas that aren’t ideal because they can’t afford elsewhere, and they’re concerned about their personal safety and theft.”
Others reasons people purchase a CCTV system may be to protect a remote investment property, a holiday house or an expensive property containing valuable assets. You may want more on-street security to deter car thieves or to increase the value of your rental to attract more tenants.
The key advantage: “Cameras help deter, detect and document what’s going on around the home,” says Dorau.
Read more: What to do when you’ve been burgled
Cost to the homeowner
Installing a basic CCTV system with two to three cameras at home may cost you between $600 and $700. They can be trained on internal and external areas, and accessed remotely from tablets and smart phones.
Read more: How to secure your home with a deadbolt lock
** Data sources: (1) Australia and New Zealand Police Recommendations for CCTV Systems; (2) Australian Institute of Criminology.