Research published today by Big Brother Watch casts serious doubt on whether that investment will do anything to reduce crime or improve public safety.Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information act show how:
• TFL operates at least 82,826 CCTV cameras
• In the last twelve months, 6,972 police requests for footage were granted by TFL
• Accordingly, footage from 91.6% of cameras was not used by the police
This is hardly surprising, given it reflects previous academic studies into the use of CCTV. Indeed, the Metropolitan Police’s own research found how fewer than one crime was solved by every 1,000 cameras in the capital. Yet the British fondness for CCTV shows no sign of waning, despite a lack of any credible evidence existing that CCTV either deters or prevents crime.
The significant resources being spent on surveillance are diverting money away from policing methods that could prevent crime and protect the public. CCTV is not a substitute for policing.
Britian is unique in the widespread and relentless use of CCTV across every aspect of our lives. It continues to represent a disproportionate intrusion into the privacy of law abiding people, without delivering a corresponding improvement in public safety.
You can download the report here.
on an extra note.....
Quotes
"We will further regulate CCTV."
The Coalition: Our Programme for government - May 2010
"Our priority needs to be to make these CCTV systems - on which we all very much depend - legal as quickly as possible. This will without doubt raise standards of the capture, quality and security of CCTV images. Once this has been done we can then be confident on the full reliance of CCTV - and thus utilise fully all aspects of this wonderful tool."
CameraWatch - March 2011
"The UK is the most spied upon nation in the world - why doesn't it have the lowest crime rate?"
"Research shows that CCTV simply does not work, so isn't it just a huge waste of money?"
NO CCTV campaign - 2011
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