We all know we're one of the most monitored countries in the world with an estimated four million CCTV cameras throughout the UK.
An internal report released by the Metropolitian Police under the Freedom for Information Act disclosed more than a million cameras are in London alone.
However, it cast doubt on the use of the cameras as a crime fighting tool. It said: 'For every 1000 cameras in London, less than one crime is solved per year.'
The report, written by Detective Chief Inspector Mick Neville, who runs the Metropolitian Police's Visual Images Identifications and Detections Office, found that the public "have a high expectation of CCTV and are frequently told they are captured on camera 300 times per day."
Public confidence was dented when the police often stated there was no CCTV working when a crime has been committed, it said. It also said that increasingly members of the public were complaining that officers had not bothered to view available CCTV images when trying to track down criminals.
Earlier this year separate research commissioned by the Home Office suggested that the cameras had done virtually nothing to cut crime, but were most effective in preventing vehicle crimes in car parks.
Britain has 1 per cent of the world's population but around 20 per cent of its CCTV cameras - which works out as the equivalent of one for every 14 people.
Wouldn't the money be better spent on more effective street lighting or projects similar to neighbourhood watch schemes?
Source: Telegraph
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27 comments:
Have a heart, where else could I do my song and dance routine on TV? Never mind the billing, seen on National Car Parks.
I should have said in the post I was the 'star' one week in my local Somerfields CCTV Demetrius. Usually I wave when I enter but I decided to do a sample of the highland fling that day. :)
CCTV are not there to reduce crime.
They are there for;
1) to reduce worry within us, the Great Unwashed.
2. to give us, the Great Unwashed, a false impression via the Esther franchise that we can be germane in the capture of these malfeasant.
3. not to capture "rough justice" being meted on the odd i"nnocent" person carrying a table leg or trying to find himself back to his hostel during the GX+.
4. to put money into "their" own pockets
Any advances, mes braves?
In Fife the council decided to put CCTV onto a lot of high streets and they succeeded in moving the anti-social behaviour off the high streets and onto the streets and paths bordering the high streets where there are no cameras, sometimes no lighting, but plenty of bother.
It's only success has been as a measure to cut various wage-bills
Well, according to all the polis fly on the wall telly programmes they are vital in the fight against crime. Makes you wonder who is kidding who.
There eventual purpose, as the streets get ever more overcrowded, will be to fine people, (all micro-chipped) for; walking too slow, dropping litter, walking too fast, taking pics of policemen because they are so rare and any display of anti-government behaviour.
To employ ex policemen to sit and view cameras all day long at good salaries Faux Cu?
Well Rab, the Met don't get many results with just 1% do they?
Douglas, does it decrease wages do you think?
Surely the people can protest and insist the cameras go back into the high street where they seem to be a deterent.
I don't mind cameras if they deter anti-social behaviour such as attacks but I do object to paying for something that is ineffectual.
Well Rab, that was an FOI report from the Met.
Mind you, who do we believe these days.
Well Rab, that was an FOI report from the Met.
Mind you, who do we believe these days.
SR, the cameras are in the high streets, that's the problem, they just move the anti-social behaviour away from the cameras.
I don't know about wages but they reduce jobs. Why have officers on the beat when cameras cover the ground, whay have staffed railway stations when cameras can look at the platforms?
They are false economy and give a false sense of security
Dougie, I disagree. There are thousands of ex police officers etc who are employed to look through CCTV footage. Why aren't they employed to help with paperwork and take that away from foot patrols.
I do agree they are a very false economy but it's all part of the social engineering of this country - if there's no CCTV camera then don't go there. Trouble is so many don't work.
Subrosa,
as with your previous post there is a distinct whiff of Tavistock on overdrive at the moment.
"Any technique which helps to break down the family unit and family inculcated principles of religion, honor, patriotism, and sexual behavior, is used by Tavistock scientists as weapons of crowd control."
Though they themselves say they are a harmless wee charrideee!
Whenever something does not add up these guys will be working away behind the scenes.
I've never heard of Tavistock Incoming but I do know this labour lot have broken down the family right enough.
subrosa,
The CCTV in my supermarker makes it look as if I'm going thin on top - who says the camera never lies. I like the idea of the "talking lamp-posts" which will advise neds to behave themselves in a drill instructor's voice.
According to a police documentary called "The Bill" a lot of criminals are caught with the help of CCTV.
WV: berate!!
'Cracks appear in unity over Calman reforms'
- Labour and Tories are allowing policy vacuum to develop by dragging feet over Calman recommendations, says Lib Dem leader Tavish Scott
His comments represent a major breach in the cross-party unity on show since the Calman Commission, set up by the three Unionist parties, recommended sweeping new financial and other powers for Holyrood in its report three months ago.
Mr Scott told The Times: “Right now Labour in London has only one thing on its mind and that is tax and the Pre-Budget Report (due in November). Calman does not come into its calculations. Meanwhile the Tories have made clear that they do not envisage any constitutional tinkering in its first term of office if they win power.
“I was always concerned that when Calman reported it was not going to be turned into anything tangible very soon. ”
Mr Scott added: “If you are on the side of reform, these two parties must not drag their feet. But that is the reality. The only person that favours is Alex Salmond and the SNP.”
Conservative sources also dismissed the Lib Dem leader’s remarks but were unable to say whether the party in Scotland would commit to implement Calman if David Cameron won power at Westminster.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6831647.ece
Many thanks for the link Stuart. Haven't had a chance yet to read the papers thoroughly, the sun's out so I'm making the most of getting some gardening done.
Quite right too!
I just thought that this was an important article: it is a meme in genesis.
Nope, cameras are not very efficient at catching crooks.
I mean to say, Westmidden crooks appears on cameras infinitum;
...and how many of those creatures been brought to account for themselves before any court?
...and while I'm on the subject of crooks and racketeers.
I watched the BBC item on the scarcity of premium second hand cars today. Apparently there has been a huge demand for prior to 2007 registered vehicles recently.
...and of course Autie Beeb gave us the Westmidden spin on the reasons why so. But they didn't mention the single most most important factor, did they?
I had another letter through the post today, from a government department and it made me a damn sight more angry than the one I received from bent beeznessman Geoffrey Robinson MP the other day.
It was a renewal reminder for a tax disc or SORN from the DVLA.
...and could I please cough up £400for my one year old, two litre vehicle to have the right to roam the highways and byways for the next twelve months. The largest increase in duty for many a year by stealth.
So there you have it, Auntie Beeb has been rather selective in it's reportage yet again.
...and being very ecconomical with the truth with their redacted news speak on why there is a demand for cars manufactured before the date Westmidden racketeers latest extortion scam takes effect on the poor bluidy motorist, yet again.
PS. I see "cuddles" Mandy has decared himself satisfied with the sale of Vauxhall.
Oh dear, as it was in the beginning, bye bye Rover so shall it be at the end, Bye Bye Vauxhall.
Ah'm telling ye, ah'm harbour some very murderous thoughts on the subject of Westmidden' racketeers and fraudsters and their spending habits in my head since this morning's post, so ah am.
Jings wisnaeme, I only pay £35 pa but then it's only a wee car although nippy.
Don't you think Mandy was outwitted by the Germans re the car fiasco? Doubt if he could do anything else other than agree now.
Naw, Cuddles wisnae outwitted Subrosa.
He disnae care where his money comes from as long as it keeps a coming. ...and he has the insider dealing knowledge from those privy to it.
He obliges private equity you know and he will milk the situation for all that he can.
...and that so called Canadian company is about as Canadian as RBS is Scottish, despite the RBS pretendy Embra brass name plate.
I fear Luton will go the same way as Coventry did. I'm surrounded by and know by name more than just a mere few of ex car manufacturing and associated manufacturing process ex employees here. Thirty years or so ago the car factories were humming here abouts and Coventry was a name to be reckoned with.
Within half a mile from where I sit lies a housing scheme of rabbit hutches where once the Damlier works hummed night and day.
...and within a five mile radius so too were the Triumph, the Morris, the Jag, all-sorted British Leyland brands and of late Pergeot, all well remembered by myself. Then there was the others like Dunlop, Courtaulds, Cov Rad, Coventry Hood and seating, Clear Hooters, the Climax was less than thirty yards away and hundred of smaller firms that were dependent on them for their business of supplying them with whatever.
Christ the place was a power house of industry.
...and what have we now?
Bugger all.
.
Oh I know Mandy's the sharpest tack in the box wisnaeme and thanks for sorting out my ideas about him. Money is all isn't it.
I too remember Coventry as two of my uncles had moved there for work from farm work in Aberdeenshire. That was back in the 60s. Coventry was cars in those days, even to a Scot like me.
The same happened of course over in the Glasgow area. Nothing there now when there used to be thriving industries.
On the east side here it wasn't quite so bad because the discovery of oil softened the blows and work filtered down as far as Dundee.
But the sadness for me is that we no longer have the basic skills which make the difference between just existing and living. So many skills gone without even an acknowledgement from politicians.
Aye, the oil work filtered further down than Dundee, you know.
I served an electrical/mechanical apprenticeship at the Imperial Tube works at Airdrie in the early seventies, a part of the British Steel conglormorate.
...and they produced ...erm tubes, steel pipes and fittings for the oil industry.
It wasn't merely the electrics that I learned about. Welding, cutting, fabrication and other sundry skills were the basics of a good well rounded apprenticeship.
Then there were some other skills that I obtained the learning of...
How to deal with or 'fix' and manipulate the little Stalins amongst the closed shop comrades and their comrade comrades, the peoples partei in their feifdom of North Lanarkshire.
How to spot the dodgy dealings, the back handers in goods and services.
...and of course, have the education of who was in whom's pocket.
Aye, it gave myself eye opening experiences of how the system works. Of how one becomes priviliged , from tea boy to cannon fodder, from comrade shop stewart and gang master to a made man Cappo, to regional bossman and then holier than holy, Boss of Bosses down south.
My that was a skill worth the having, I can tell you. It helped in the knowing of your enemy and has served me well down the years.
Right enough, fewer and fewer folk seem to have those skills these days of how to understand, confront and fix those folk on the make and take.
Aye, it's overdue for a revival of the education and skills, right enough.
If we're to be good at competing with the lobbyists, privateers, racketeers, carpetbaggers and folk without honour or integrity,on the make and take with their spending habits at our exspense.
Aye we need legions of good folk with the skills to fix things, right enough.
...and of having the refresher courses to keep up to date with what the creatures in the competion are up to would be ever so helpful. To deal with and fix,
and put them eventually, out of beezness, naturally.
I know the drip effect of the oil moved much further than Dundee wisnaeme, but I mentioned Dundee because the oil created many jobs there just when the city was losing businesses every week.
During my career I didn't have too much to do with Unions but any officials I met were so militant it was unbelievable. Aggressive too and many sadly lacking even in basic social skills.
The problem is that the people with these skills are all retired now and would refuse to come back into education to teach I should think. Too much red tape one retired engineer told me, too much hassle. He'd tried night school teaching and found the majority of his students sadly lacking in basic education.
I've spoken about the old Industrial Training Boards before and I still consider they were the best way to train competent employees and trainees.
No political party would bring them back of course, because of the levy that was mandatory. Shame.
You might be interested in John Kampfner's new book, Freedom for Sale, which I'm currently reading, because it reinforces what you say on the numbers of cameras. In it he argues that we have sold certain of our democratic rights and become a surveillance state in exchange for the wealth which the New Labour project promised to deliver(do I hear hollow laughs here, following the banking crisis?.
Hello Olga, someone was discussing that book on a blog a wee while ago and I can't remember which blog (I have done a wee search but no luck).
We have sold most of our democratic rights now.
Have a read of Henry Porter:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/sep/13/labour-liberty-freedom-isa-data
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