NCJ Number
227795
Journal
Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling Volume: 4 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2007 Pages: 97-107
Date Published
June 2007
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study conducted a meta-analysis of research that addresses the effectiveness of public closed circuit television (CCTV) in identifying crimes committed in the view of the camera and/or the identification of suspicious persons believed to be at high risk for committing crimes in the area under surveillance.
Abstract
The review of the research identified challenges and limitations faced by CCTV operators trained to identify targets for intervention based on what is observed by the camera and interpreted by the operator monitoring the CCTV. The research has produced evidence that CCTV operators may use implicit profiles for suspicious persons in selecting targets for intervention. Essentially, young, scruffy men whose movements suggest they are loitering are disproportionately targeted compared with their base rate use of the areas surveyed by CCTV; however, the extent to which such a profile is an accurate measure of criminal intent of criminal behavior is unclear. Despite training that cautions against selecting targets based upon demographic group membership, this appears to be what is happening in practice. Research indicates that CCTV systems continue to present and record images on screens by using reliable and sophisticated technology. The core issues concerns whether such systems are always the most effective means of dealing with crime in public places, and if so, are the operators/users of such systems prepared to take full advantage of the information provided by CCTV systems. Instructors of CCTV operators should discuss with students how to recognize and interpret body language and establish parameters for reasons and methods used when deciding that a person viewed should be targeted for intervention. It is important that clear examples be provided of actual criminal behavior, since targeting based on appearance and presumed suspicious behavior should not be the primary grounds for target selection. 2 tables, 1 figure, and 44 references