CCTV criticism should teach us lessons BSIA

The research was carried out on behalf of the Home Office by criminologists at the University of Leicester, and garnered coverage in most of the national, and some international media.

The report said that of 14 systems evaluated, only one showed a decrease in crime which could be attributed to CCTV – and that focused on reducing vehicle crime in car parks.

It was led by Professor Martin Gill, who said: "For supporters of CCTV, these findings are disappointing. For the most part CCTV did not produce reductions in crime, and it did not make people feel safer. Following the introduction of CCTV, support for its use decreased, not so much because there was a concern about intrusions of privacy, but because they did not see cameras as effective.

"One scheme was very effective in tackling vehicle crime, and there were other successes, not least in bringing more offences to the attention of the police. Overall, areas have encountered real difficulties in using CCTV to good effect."

BSIA chief executive David Dickinson said: "Importantly the report is positive about the technology, albeit critical of the way it is deployed and project-managed. There are clearly lessons to be learnt. Understanding the objectives, deployment of cameras, well-trained operators and clear communication links with the police are all crucial to the overall effectiveness of systems. In the very best examples, this joined-up approach can have exceptional results. The report also shows that CCTV tends to lead to an increase in reported crime, which means that more crimes can be investigated. Public support for CCTV is high, with over 70 per cent of people in the project areas supporting it. Police views are also extremely encouraging, with officers referring to the invaluable contribution CCTV makes by capturing evidence that enables them to pursue investigations and secure convictions."

Meanwhile, public support for “reassuring “ CCTV has come via surveys as Quadrant Video Systems won the upgrade contract in Bury St Edmunds and neighbouring Haverhill. The installation, worth over £250,000, will see a wide variety of new camera locations integrated into the existing scheme, and will be supported by a five-year maintenance plan.

The company cites surveys showing that “local people find the existing cameras reassuring, helping to make their town feel a safer place visit and work in". The system "has been shown to be a useful tool for preventing as well as detecting crime, with approximately 1,000 incidents a year being recorded by the existing cameras, and subsequently reported to the police".