CCTV: Keeping New Yorkers Safe and Deterring Crime

Author: fernandoseverns | Posted: 03.07.2012

You've probably heard it before . . . maybe on the radio or at the grocery while you were pushing your cart. It has this trademark line: "I always feel like somebody's watchin' me . . . " This song by Rockwell in 1984, remixed and released in Michael Jackson's Immortal album in 2001, remains a popular song choice to convey paranoia. However, if you're on the streets of New York that has closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in almost every corner -- perhaps you do have the right to feel paranoid.

CCTV uses video cameras that transmit signals to a number of monitors. It is often used for surveillance in areas that require monitoring such as banks, airports, and shopping centers, among others. CCTVs became available in the U.S. in 1949, but their first known use for public safety was in Times Square, New York in 1973. New York Police Department officers installed cameras to prevent crime and deter acts of vandalism. Since then, especially after the attacks on September 11, video surveillance equipment has become a common occurrence in almost every place in New York.

CCTV and Crime,

The presence of these devices can discourage individuals from committing minor offenses like destruction of property to more serious crimes such as kidnapping, car theft, and even murder. An analysis by the Northeastern University and the University of Cambridge, which surveyed from the U.K. and cities like Cincinnati and New York, revealed surveillance systems decreased crime in parking lots by 51 percent and lowered misdeeds in transportation areas by 23 percent. Although the results of the study are still under scrutiny of other experts, the fact remains that CCTVs are valuable tools for security.

New York CCTV companies have seen a lot of offenders put behind bars thanks to recorded footage. These gadgets also help law enforcers and investigators determine the movements of victims and suspects caught in tape. For example, the well-known murder case of James Bulger had been significantly supported by captured images from CCTVs.

Though most recordings of cameras by CCTV Long Island, Manhattan, and other parts of New York are installed with aren't clear enough to identify perpetrators, the proper implementation of these surveillance videos proved to be effective in reducing crime. It is very helpful in targeting and deterring specific offenses such as car theft and shoplifting.

Security personnel watching the monitors can easily spot the thief and arrest him before he exits the crime scene. CCTVs are not only for commercial properties. There are New York CCTV manufacturers that sell domestic kits for your home. If you want to read more about CCTVs, you can visit ezinearticles.com.



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