NCJ Number
211341
Date Published
October 2005
Length
65 pages
Annotation
This report presents findings from surveys of public attitudes toward the installation of closed circuit television systems (CCTV) in public spaces in nine residential areas, one town center, and two city centers in England; the surveys were conducted prior to the CCTV installations.
Abstract
The surveys found that 21 percent of respondents in residential areas avoided particular areas in which they lived during the day, and 54 percent avoided them at night. The proportion of those who avoided particular areas in town and city centers varied from 15 to 35 percent during the day and 33 to 63 percent at night. Three main overlapping reasons for avoiding some areas were fear of physical attack, mistrust of the people who gathered in those areas, and perception that the area was crime-ridden. Respondents were apparently confused about the capabilities of CCTV; however, this did not deter them from supporting it based on their perception of its capability to prevent crime. Those who indicated they would go to places they had avoided in residential areas after the installation of CCTV in those areas were more likely to believe that CCTV would have a significant impact. Approximately one-sixth of respondents viewed CCTV as an invasion of privacy; male respondents and those who did not perceive crime to be a problem were more likely to hold this view. Eighty percent of respondents in residential areas believed that CCTV would reduce crime in their areas; 63 percent that it would reduce the number of youth congregating in public; 69 percent that people would report more incidents; and 56 percent that the police would respond more quickly. Extensive tables and figures, a 45-item bibliography, and appended description of methodology