NO CCTV
- The case aginst - Reports
There are many studies that have found CCTV to be ineffective - below are a few:
- New:Campbell Collaboration Report
'Effects of Closed Circuit Television Surveillance on Crime'
A meta-analysis of 41 CCTV evaluations (more...)- "[...] the evaluations of CCTV schemes in city and town centers and public housing measured a much larger range of crime types and only a small number of studies involved other interventions. These CCTV schemes, as well as those focused on public transport, did not have a significant effect on crime."
Download report PDF See also our blog story about the study.
- "[...] the evaluations of CCTV schemes in city and town centers and public housing measured a much larger range of crime types and only a small number of studies involved other interventions. These CCTV schemes, as well as those focused on public transport, did not have a significant effect on crime."
- NO CCTV Report (more...)
- "Surveillance cameras clearly present a serious threat to privacy and civil liberties and the alleged trade-offs of safety or security are unproven and vastly outweighed by the risk of creating a police state."
Download no-cctv.org.uk Interim Report PDF
- "Surveillance cameras clearly present a serious threat to privacy and civil liberties and the alleged trade-offs of safety or security are unproven and vastly outweighed by the risk of creating a police state."
- The government's National CCTV strategy document (Oct 2007) (more...)
- The document states that: "Anecdotal evidence suggests that over 80% of the CCTV footage supplied to the police is far from ideal, especially if it is being used for primary identification or identities are unknown and identification is being sought, for instance, by media release."
Read the strategy (PDF) Read Spy Blog's analysis of the document The Register website has a worrying article that points out why the Home Office are saying cctv footage is ineffective here
- The document states that: "Anecdotal evidence suggests that over 80% of the CCTV footage supplied to the police is far from ideal, especially if it is being used for primary identification or identities are unknown and identification is being sought, for instance, by media release."
- Data on London crime figures vs. number of cameras (more...)
- In 2007 members of the London Assembly obtained information under the Freedom of Information Act that showed CCTV has little effect on solving crime. The statistics show that more CCTV cameras does not lead to a better crime clear-up rate. London has over 10,000 state run cameras. For more on this click here The Evening Standard also had a report on the findings
- Effect of closed circuit television on urban violence (Violence Research Group, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff) (more...)
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"If there had been a significant deterrent effect as a result of CCTV installation then a decline in police detection of violence rather than the noted increase would have occurred. This study provides no evidence of a deterrent effect."
Abstract BBC News coverage of the study
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"If there had been a significant deterrent effect as a result of CCTV installation then a decline in police detection of violence rather than the noted increase would have occurred. This study provides no evidence of a deterrent effect."
- Home Office CCTV Study (more...)
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"Impulsive crimes (e.g. alcohol-related crimes) were less likely to be reduced than premeditated crime (e.g. theft of motor vehicles). Violence against the person rose and theft of motor vehicles fell in the target areas in accordance with national trends in recorded crime."
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"Impulsive crimes (e.g. alcohol-related crimes) were less likely to be reduced than premeditated crime (e.g. theft of motor vehicles). Violence against the person rose and theft of motor vehicles fell in the target areas in accordance with national trends in recorded crime."
- Scarman Centre National Evaluation of CCTV (more...)
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"Given the current paucity of evidence as to the costeffectiveness of CCTV as a crime prevention mechanism, it is reasonable that partnerships have not provided a great deal
of evidence on this subject."
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"Given the current paucity of evidence as to the costeffectiveness of CCTV as a crime prevention mechanism, it is reasonable that partnerships have not provided a great deal
of evidence on this subject."
- To CCTV or not to CCTV? - nacro Report (more...)
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"Three-quarters of the Home Office Crime Prevention budget was spent on CCTV between 1996 and 1998, yet a comprehensive review has revealed the overall reduction in crime was only five per cent. A parallel systematic review carried out by the Home Office that looked at street lighting, however, found a highly significant reduction in crime of 20 per cent."
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"Three-quarters of the Home Office Crime Prevention budget was spent on CCTV between 1996 and 1998, yet a comprehensive review has revealed the overall reduction in crime was only five per cent. A parallel systematic review carried out by the Home Office that looked at street lighting, however, found a highly significant reduction in crime of 20 per cent."