To what extent has the CCTV camera reduced the crime in the uk Essay

To what extent has the CCTV camera reduced the crime in the uk - Essay Example proponents of this technology; with an approximated 1.9 million CCTVs in 2011-which easily translates into 1 camera for every 32 UK residents-with this number rising daily. Estimates also claim that the average Briton is normally caught on CCTV 300 times every day. This paper aims at exploring the effectiveness of CCTV in crime reduction in UK (Fenwick, 2012). The use of CCTVs in tackling crime in UK has greatly grown over the past decade. No official figure exists for how many cameras are currently in use, although on the basis of academic research, a 4.2 million figure has been frequently cited. Whereas the underlying principle for use of CCTV has been that it aids in prevention of crime, numerous studies have queried the assumptions behind this claim; drawing attention to a complex variety of factors that must be considered when evaluating the effectiveness of CCTVs. A 2007 Campbell Collaboration report stated that CCTV has a â€Å"modest but significant desirable effect on crime†, however its usage must be more closely targeted than it is at present (Siegel,2015). The beginnings of CCTV usage for public places in UK dates back at the start of 1980s. From then, CCTV system usage has gradually, but considerably expanded. The initial systems were financed in a few places by the local businesses or the police, however, in most of cases local authorities via what were referred to as Safer Cities or City Challenge Initiatives. Successive Government financing assumed the shape of CCTV Challenge Competition between 1994 and 1999, whereby 38.5 million pounds was availed for about 585 schemes throughout the country. Consequently, between 1999 to 2003, core investment was started in public space CCTV via the Home Office-funded Crime Reduction Programme (CRP).Thus, a sum of 170 million pounds of capital financing was availed to local authorities after a bidding process. The coming to an end of the Crime Reduction Programme indicated the finishing of a devoted central