NCJ Number
240992
Date Published
August 1999
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This report provides the results of an evaluation of four CCTV implementation designs for the London Borough of Southwark.
Abstract
Key findings show that the recorded crime across the four targeted areas of Southwark fell during the implementation period; in the year ending January 1999 crime was 5 percent lower than during the previous twelve months; in the year following installation recorded crime in target areas fell by between 10 and 12 percent compared to pre-CCTV levels; recorded crime in the target areas fell more than in the comparison areas; with the exception of Camberwell, reductions in crime across the buffer zones either matched or exceeded the target areas; and crimes most affected by CCTV were: burglary, criminal damage, street and vehicle crime. Also presented are the results of evaluations of each system in Elephant and Castle, Peckham, Camberwell and East Street, which evaluated the plan's impact on levels of recorded crime; effect on fear of crime and consequent behavior; operational and management structures; influence upon local businesses; and technical performance. The research was conducted between June 1998 and May 1999. Data collected include statistics of recorded crime and disorder; data from system logbooks and repair invoices; interviews with the police and CCTV operators; a survey of town centre users; and a survey of local businesses in each of the four sites. Data analyzed the impact of CCTV on crime, including any displacement effects; the influence of CCTV on the fear of crime and on consequent town centre use; the management and operation of the systems, including codes of practice; and the plan's cost-effectiveness; and the effect of the plan on local businesses. Tables, figures, appendixes, and references