Closed circuit television (CCTV) and its application to public safety initiatives: effectiveness and considerations

Closed circuit television (CCTV) is increasingly being promoted as an intervention for use in public settings aimed at reducing crime and fear of crime. This paper explores the question of whether or not CCTV actually does what it is being promoted to do, and also examines a number of other salient issues related to CCTV, including the privacy concerns surrounding its implementation, environmental determinants, such as political and media influences which affect public support of CCTV, as well as operational and management considerations. The paper emphasizes the value of program evaluation and evidence-based approaches as integral pieces which should be included in the decision making process by policy makers as well as practitioners when considering CCTV as a crime control measure.