Since an important unanswered question is whether closed circuit television (CCTV) is effective in preventing violence in town/city centers, this study evaluated the effect of CCTV systems in detecting violent incidents in town/city centers in England.
The study hypothesized that CCTV could limit injuries from violence by increasing police detection of assaults and precursors to violence, such as arguments. Such a deterrent effect depends on the awareness of potential offenders of the increased likelihood that their violent behavior will be detected by police. The analysis of this deterrence hypothesis was examined by obtaining data on medical emergency responses to violence-related injuries and police records of violent offenses in town/city centers with CCTV for the 4 years between 1995-99. This period covered 2 years before and 2 years after CCTV installation. A comparison of data for the two periods indicates that assault-related emergency medical responses decreased 3 percent in centers with CCTV, while such medical responses increased 11 percent in centers without CCTV. Police recorded violent offenses increased 11 percent in centers covered by CCTV, while increasing 5 percent in centers without CCTV. The overall conclusion is that CCTV surveillance in town/city centers was associated with increased police detection of violent offenses and reductions in injury or severity of injury requiring an emergency medical response. This report recommends further study of the variations in violence that occurs in public areas with and without CCTV. 4 figures, 2 tables, and 11 references