EFFECTIVENESS OF CCTV INSTALLATION IN BUSINESS

ESTABLISHMENT IN RELATION CRIME INCIDENT

A Research
Presented to the Faculty of the College of Criminology
Fullbright College
San Jose Puerto Princesa City

Allan Boy Balladares

2019
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

Title Page i

Table of Contents ii

i. Background of the Study 1-2

ii. Review of Related Literature 3-5
iii. Statement of the Problem 6
 CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

1.1 Background of the study

Over the past few years, there has been a proliferation of closed circuit

television (CCTV) installations especially at the town centres. Installation of

CCTV cameras in public spaces has been driven by the urgency for crime

prevention. CCTVs have been installed with the aim of deterring offending,

bringing offenders to justice and providing reassurance to the public about

their safety.However studies exploring on effectiveness of CCTV on crime

prevention have produced mixed results. Some studies have attested to the

effectiveness of CCTV in fighting crime while others have pointed out to the

minimal or insignificant effect of CCTV on levels of offending. As such, the

proposed dissertation seeks to clarify the nature of the relationship between

CCTV and crime prevention.

This proposal lays out the approach that would be taken to address the

objectives of the proposed dissertation. The proposal provides the theoretical

framework, literature review and the methodology used to obtain the data. A

multi-method spatial approach will be used to analyze the data collected. The

proposal seeks to examine the effectiveness of CCTV in preventing and

reducing crime in 3 London boroughs: London Borough of Richmond upon

Thames, the Borough of Waverley and the Ipswich Borough Council. A

combination of Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) and Weighted

Displacement Quotient (WDQ) will help in evaluating effectiveness of CCTV

surveillance in preventing crimes in the 3 boroughs.

Lately, electricians in Plymouth and overall electricians in Devon have been
getting more requests to install CCTV systems due to the rising crime rate
especially breaking and entering of residential properties.
Having a CCTV system, surveillance camera and security alarms will help you
to deter potential burglars and thieves. With the increasing amount of
residential crimes being reported, CCTV systems help capture important
footage should any incident happen – the risk of these thieves being caught
on camera will hopefully keep them away.

Security is fundamentally important across all walks of life to ensure the

overall safety and possessions of all individuals are comprehensively
protected. Commercial and residential properties are constructed to provide
homeowners and companies with adequate protection against adverse
weather conditions. Both buildings are also fit for purpose and provide the
flexibility in which to create a stately household and professional business
environment. This can be achieved via the integration of interior design
features such as furniture and décor, in addition to any portable appliances
and machinery to carry out daily tasks.

Throughout commercial properties such as office buildings and retail outlets,

all companies require careful consideration of integrated security solutions.
Although security guards provide an element of protection on the ground
floor, their eyes are ears are not extensive enough to provide an over watch of
the entire premises. This is where cameras within CCTV security systems play
a crucial role within the daily running of a business.

Establishing an overview via placements of cameras within key areas within

an office environment or retail store is an integral part of CCTV security

systems. Although such systems are installed to protect against potential

theft or criminal activity, they can play an important role within

the productivity levels of employees. While certain individuals may feel their

statutory rights are being undermined within a ‘Big Brother’ environment, it

is done so to ensure the activities and conduct of all employees is maintained

on a daily basis.

Cameras can be either situated within the middle of a room or in the corners.

Although their placements affects the images and security angle each camera

can pick up, the sheer presence of cameras can act as a deterrent to any

criminal. Knowing their actions is likely to be detected by one from a

multitude of cameras which can clearly depict their face and appearance can

decrease the rate of theft and crime.

The presence of CCTV as integrated security solutions can also be important

for the work ethic and efficiency of employees. As their safety and wellbeing

can be placed under threat by an individual who carries out violence or a

criminal act, it is vital to integrate adequate protection. In doing so, it can play

a fundamental role in catching any perpetrators who steal or damage valuable

products or machinery, and put employees at risk.

One of the most popular and cost effective ways of providing security in the

home and place of work is with cctv cameras and equipment. CCTV cameras

can act as a very successful deterrent to thieves and burglars, certainly

making them think twice at the very least. The technology behind security
equipment these days is incredibly advanced, and it is even possible to hook

the cameras up to an ordinary television or computer to watch the footage.

 CHAPTER TWO

1.2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Earlier research in the UK (pre-21st century)

The United Kingdom experienced a sharp increase in the presence of closed-

circuit television (CCTV) surveillance cameras starting in the 1980s. Despite

this proliferation of cameras, the country had no significant drop-off in crime

at the end of the century The research commissioned by the British Home

Office, the agency responsible for security in the United Kingdom,

subsequently provided two of the early scientific studies on the effects of CCTV

surveillance cameras in the early 21st century. These studies, described

below, showed no significant impact in crime due to the presence of cameras.

British Home Office Study, 2002

The first Home Office study in August 2002, conducted by Brandon Welsh

and David Farrington, surveyed 22 studies of CCTV in both the US and UK

for a meta-analysis and found that as a whole the cameras showed no

significant impact on crime. Welsh and Farrington’s data showed a very small

impact on crime that was statistically insignificant. In studies included in

their meta-analysis which did show a reduction in crime other interventions,

such as improved lighting, fencing, notices about CCTV and increased

security personnel confounded the data such that any reduction could be

solely attributable to the cameras themselves.

The authors (along with additional co-authors) asserted this opinion in a

subsequent paper: “Overall, it might be concluded that CCTV reduces crime

to a small degree.”

British Home Office Study, 2005

A February 2005 meta-analysis of fourteen site commissioned by the Home

Office and conducted by Martin Gill and Angela Spriggs reached a similar

conclusion to that of Welsh and Farrington. Only one site they studied

experienced a statistically significant crime reduction and this result was

limited by confoundsFurthermore this was the most expensive site. This

study also showed an increase in reported crime in half the sites which the

authors hypothesize was due to increased awareness of crime.Spriggs and Gill

concluded: “It has been shown that the CCTV schemes produced no overall

effect on all relevant crime viewed collectively.”

Within this meta-analysis however, the authors did find a reduction in vehicle
crimes in half the sites though it was only statistically significant in two such
sitealthough a change in parking regulations reduced the number of cars at
the site and therefore opportunities for vehicle crimes.Additionally, violent
crimes against individuals actually increased in three of four urban sites,
which was similar to crime patterns in the control.Gill and Spriggs cautioned:
“The belief at that CCTV alone can counter complex social problems is
unrealistic in the extreme.”However, they also warned against concluding
CCTV was not effective based on their study.A later report by the British
House of Lords noted public opinion is important as a policy consideration
and warned against concluding that people feel safer merely due to the
presence of cameras

San Francisco – UC Berkeley, CITRIS Report, 2008

In the United States, the first major scientific surveillance camera study was

conducted based on San Francisco’s Community Safety Camera (CSC)

program. Jennifer King of University of California (UC) Berkeley Law and her

colleagues conducted a six-month study for San Francisco through the

University’s Center for Informational Research in the Interest of Society

(CITRIS) releasing a final report December 17, 2008The study found very little

impact on violent crime and that homicides did decline near the cameras but

increased further away (a displacement effect but not reduction)The study did

find a statistically significant decrease in property crime near the

camerasFinally there was little of evidence of an impact on other types of

crimes in the vicinity of the cameras.

The report concluded that at least for property crimes, “the system is clearly

having an effect” but noted that the CSC program’s “lack of deterrent effects

on violent crime and its limited usefulness with respect to investigations”

limited the program’s benefit. The camera program was incredibly expensive,

especially given its failure to reduce violent crime. Finally, because the study

was short and featured only one city, its results could be a fluke.

Los Angeles – USC Study, 2008

Students at the University of Southern California (USC) School of Policy

released a report for the California Research Bureau in May 2008 on the

effects of video surveillance cameras in two areas of Los Angeles. The study

showed no impact on crime based on the Los Angeles Police Department’s

crime statistics before and after the camera installation. While violent crime

declined in both areas this trend merely followed the general pattern also
demonstrated in the control areas. The study found no statistically

significant evidence of displacement.

Baltimore, Chicago & Washington, D.C. – Urban Institute, 2011

In September 2011, the Urban Institute published a study, primarily funded

by the United States Department of Justice, looking at surveillance systems

in three major American cities: Baltimore, Chicago & Washington, D.C. The

authors concluded the findings from Baltimore “create a strong case for the

positive impact that Baltimore’s cameras have on crime, with some

signs of diffusion of benefits and no statistically significant evidence of

displacement.” However, this lack of displacement may simply indicate a

general decline in crime independent from implementation of the camera

program. They also noted the great costs of the system.An additional

unintended externality the implementation caused was turf battles between

rival gangs looking for space outside of the cameras’ views.

In Chicago, the study showed a reduction in crime in one neighborhood

(Humboldt Park) but not in another (West Garfield Park). In a 2013 article,

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois attorney Adam Schwartz

criticized the results by asserting the study did not control for the

gentrification which occurred Humboldt Park during the period the study was

conducted nor did it control for other police initiatives. As with Baltimore, the

study noted the high cost of the camera network.

The Washington component of the study noted crime was on the rise in the

summer of 2006 which prompted the installation of the cameras that fall but
that in the next two summers crime rates matched pre-implementation

levels.The overall crimes rates in the experimental and control areas were

roughly the same.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

The review assesses the effectiveness of CCTV as a deterrent, rather than its

effectiveness in detecting crime, assisting in investigations, and bringing

criminals to justice. This document briefly summarises a Campbell

Collaboration Systematic Review1 which is a longer and more technical report

that focused on the impact of CCTV on personal and property crimes.

Applying rigorous selection criteria the review identified 44 projects in which

CCTV was installed in an area and changes in crime rates were compared

with a similar ‘control’ site where CCTV was not installed. The Review then

drew general conclusions from this pool of evaluations about the impact of

CCTV on crime rates.

Overall, use of CCTV makes for a small, but statistically significant, reduction

in crime, but this generalisation needs to be tempered by careful attention to

(a) the type of crime being addressed and (b) the setting of the CCTV

intervention. CCTV is more effective when directed at reducing theft of and

from vehicles, while it has no impact on levels of violent crime.