Perpetuity Research & Consultancy International (PRCI) Ltd

www.perpetuitygroup.com

Is CCTV working? The Is CCTV working? The effectiveness of CCTV effectiveness of CCTV

and the British experienceand the British experience Professor Martin GillProfessor Martin Gillm.gill@perpetuitygroup.comm.gill@perpetuitygroup.com

Martin GillMartin Gill

Director of PRCI Director of PRCI Professor of Criminology at the Professor of Criminology at the

University of LeicesterUniversity of Leicester 11 Books and over 100 articles11 Books and over 100 articles Fellow of The Security Institute, Fellow of The Security Institute,

member of ASIS International, member of ASIS International, RSMF, Security GuildRSMF, Security Guild

Our ObjectivesOur Objectives

To undertake top quality research To undertake top quality research workwork

To provide practical outputs for To provide practical outputs for those working at the sharp endthose working at the sharp end

To give advice and To give advice and recommendations based on recommendations based on evidenceevidence

To conduct first class evaluationsTo conduct first class evaluations

Our ResearchOur Research

Are security guards effective?Are security guards effective? What drives illicit markets?What drives illicit markets? What causes indiscipline in schools?What causes indiscipline in schools? How do shop thieves steal?How do shop thieves steal? Are robberies preventable?Are robberies preventable? What causes false alarms?What causes false alarms? Does CCTV work?Does CCTV work?

What is CCTVWhat is CCTV

How does a CCTV system work?How does a CCTV system work?– Analogue versus digitalAnalogue versus digital– Fixed, redeployable, mobileFixed, redeployable, mobile– Open, closed, covertOpen, closed, covert– Static and pan, tilt, zoomStatic and pan, tilt, zoom

How are images transferred?How are images transferred?

Where is CCTV located?Where is CCTV located?

Cities and townsCities and towns Car parksCar parks Within and outside organisationsWithin and outside organisations Residential areasResidential areas Within private homesWithin private homes

How is CCTV How is CCTV implementedimplemented Bidding for money, how many Bidding for money, how many

cameras?cameras? Project managementProject management Engaging stakeholdersEngaging stakeholders Third partiesThird parties Design and technologyDesign and technology

The Control RoomThe Control Room

What is a control room?What is a control room? How are images assessed?How are images assessed?

– Monitoring behaviour Where are Monitoring behaviour Where are control rooms located?control rooms located?

How do they operate?How do they operate? Who controls them?Who controls them? How are images managed?How are images managed?

Issues and CCTVIssues and CCTV

TechnologyTechnology Civil libertiesCivil liberties Public supportPublic support Police supportPolice support

Research on CCTVResearch on CCTV

Most focus has been on static Most focus has been on static systems systems

Previous research is often weakPrevious research is often weak Concerns about methodologies Concerns about methodologies

usedused Conclusions inconclusiveConclusions inconclusive Most optimism is for CCTV in car Most optimism is for CCTV in car

parksparks

New Ways of looking at New Ways of looking at what workswhat works Understand the offenders’ Understand the offenders’

perspective, originally robbers now perspective, originally robbers now other thievesother thieves Prison based interviewsPrison based interviews Focus groupsFocus groups

Simulating thefts and conducting Simulating thefts and conducting penetration testspenetration tests

Experimental designs and realist Experimental designs and realist evaluationsevaluations

Pinhole CameraPinhole Camera

A pinhole camera is attached to shop A pinhole camera is attached to shop thieves and they are then sent off thieves and they are then sent off around stores to simulate theftsaround stores to simulate thefts

The pictures provide a ‘thief’s eye’ The pictures provide a ‘thief’s eye’ view of situations and how they can be view of situations and how they can be exploitedexploited

The thieves provide a commentary The thieves provide a commentary explaining how they are able to explaining how they are able to circumvent security loopholescircumvent security loopholes

Assessing riskAssessing risk

Our aim has been to develop a Our aim has been to develop a better method of assessing risk by better method of assessing risk by looking at offenders’ risk looking at offenders’ risk assessmentassessment

Understanding what measures work Understanding what measures work in what circumstances is crucialin what circumstances is crucial

Understanding the reasons why is Understanding the reasons why is importantimportant

How do offenders assess How do offenders assess risk?risk? Consider the various points they Consider the various points they

may make decisions atmay make decisions at Consider why they do so and the Consider why they do so and the

decisions affecting themdecisions affecting them Develop a responseDevelop a response

Assessing ImpactAssessing Impact

What is CCTV supposed to impact What is CCTV supposed to impact on and why?on and why?

Understanding Context, Understanding Context, Mechanism and OutcomeMechanism and Outcome

Proposed mechanisms by Proposed mechanisms by which CCTV may impact on which CCTV may impact on thefttheft 1.1. CCTV may give staff more CCTV may give staff more

confidence to approach suspectsconfidence to approach suspects 2.2. CCTV may decrease staff CCTV may decrease staff

vigilance as they begin to rely on itvigilance as they begin to rely on it 3.3. CCTV may be used as a CCTV may be used as a

management tool to increase management tool to increase customer satisfactioncustomer satisfaction

4. CCTV may allow the effective 4. CCTV may allow the effective deployment of staff to areas where deployment of staff to areas where suspicious behaviour is occurringsuspicious behaviour is occurring

MechanismsMechanisms

5.5. CCTV may aid identification of CCTV may aid identification of trouble spots within a store or trouble spots within a store or communitycommunity

6.6. CCTV may cause an increased CCTV may cause an increased actual rate of being caughtactual rate of being caught

7.7. CCTV pictures may be used as CCTV pictures may be used as evidence for prosecution of offendersevidence for prosecution of offenders

8.8. CCTV may decrease sales if CCTV may decrease sales if customers dislike a store’s surveillance customers dislike a store’s surveillance

MechanismsMechanisms

9.9. CCTV may increase sales if customers CCTV may increase sales if customers feel that the store is and safe and secure place feel that the store is and safe and secure place to shop. Similarly with town and city centresto shop. Similarly with town and city centres

10.10. CCTV may cause an increased perceived CCTV may cause an increased perceived risk of being caughtrisk of being caught

11.11. The offender may move to other areas of The offender may move to other areas of the store where they feel they are less visible the store where they feel they are less visible to the CCTVto the CCTV

12.12. The presence of signs advertising CCTV The presence of signs advertising CCTV operation symbolise efforts to take crime operation symbolise efforts to take crime seriously and may influence the offenders’ seriously and may influence the offenders’ perceptions of riskperceptions of risk

CCTV EffectivenessCCTV Effectiveness

What is meant by effectiveness, what What is meant by effectiveness, what are the objectives?are the objectives?

The scheme design, implementation, The scheme design, implementation, stakeholder involvement, control room stakeholder involvement, control room operations and procedures, operations and procedures, relationship with the police all have an relationship with the police all have an impactimpact

In what conditions is the scheme In what conditions is the scheme operating, what is the context?operating, what is the context?

PerceptionsPerceptions

Around the world there is scepticismAround the world there is scepticism In UK, the public are very supportiveIn UK, the public are very supportive The police have a mixed attitude but The police have a mixed attitude but

mostly goodmostly good Offenders say it will not put them Offenders say it will not put them

off, unless they have been caught!off, unless they have been caught!

CCTV as a Prevention CCTV as a Prevention ToolTool Does security work?Does security work? What makes a good risk What makes a good risk

assessment?assessment? What makes for good prevention?What makes for good prevention? What more do we need to learn?What more do we need to learn? What do we need to do to make What do we need to do to make

CCTV effective?CCTV effective?

SummarySummary

There is a lot we can learn from There is a lot we can learn from different types of evaluationsdifferent types of evaluations

We can greatly improve the We can greatly improve the effectiveness of security measureseffectiveness of security measures

We are helping organisations to We are helping organisations to better assess risks and implement better assess risks and implement better and more cost-effective better and more cost-effective solutionssolutions

Perpetuity Research & Consultancy International (PRCI) Ltd

www.perpetuitygroup.com

Professor Martin GillProfessor Martin GillDirectorDirector

Perpetuity Research and Perpetuity Research and Consultancy International Ltd Consultancy International Ltd (PRCI)(PRCI)

m.gill@perpetuitygroup.comm.gill@perpetuitygroup.com