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Public Perceptions of CCTV in Residential Areas

"It Is Not As Good As We Thought It Would Be."

University of Leicester; Perpetuity Research & Consultancy International Ltd.

Jane Bryan

Jenna Allen

University of Warwickshire

Closed circuit television (CCTV) is commonplace in the United Kingdom and increasingly across the world. It is commonly found in town and city centers, shopping malls, car parks, police stations, and various workplaces. Most of the research that has been conducted so far has concluded that the public is generally supportive. However, the emergence of CCTV in residential areas has been much less commented on. This article reports on a study of residents' views of CCTV, and the findings suggest that although the public are generally positive, it is less so after having experience with cameras. Reduced experience of victimization positively affected residents' perceptions of safety, much more than the introduction of CCTV.

Key Words: CCTV • public attitudes • evaluation • effectiveness

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International Criminal Justice Review, Vol. 17, No. 4, 304-324 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1057567707311584


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