“City Watching: Closed Circuit Television Surveillance in Public Spaces”

Abstract

People are now rarely free from the electronic gaze of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras. Routine activities are all captured by an elaborate network of cameras which now seem as much part of the urban infrastructure as traffic-lights or post-boxes. This chapter argues that the rapid and spectacular diffusion of CCTV surveillance technology into urban public space is highly controversial. Employing CCTV in public spaces raises important theoretical questions about the relationships between civil society and the state. In terms of effectiveness, the chapter questions the dramatic claims made for CCTV in reducing crime. Although some “before” and “after” CCTV studies show sharp falls in crime, the many methodological difficulties involved in accurately measuring crime mean that the results of such studies need to be interpreted cautiously. Glasgow provides an instructive example of the role of local political and economic interests in the development of a city centre CCTV system and the attempted resolution of these public-private tensions.

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