Cameras Reduce Crime

There is overwhelming evidence that surveillance cameras, when properly implemented, reduce crime where they are installed. This white paper contains a collection of quotations from published news stories.

100% Conviction Rate in 500 Arrests in Minneapolis “Existing [digital] fixed-wire cameras in Minneapolis have led to a 100-percent conviction rate from about 500 arrests over 18 months.” http://publicsafety.wifinetnews.com/archives/media/video/

Property Crime Reduced by Two-Thirds

“Statistics from North Yorkshire police show that CCTV helped York city to cut its annual losses of £1.5 million by two thirds since a [fibre-optic connected camera] system was installed at a cost of £100,000 [about $200,000].” http://www.btredcarevision.com/pdf/Vision_ReducingCrime_Jan2006.pdf

Business Burglary Drops 72 Percent Due to Cameras

“The council has released crime figures that demonstrate there has been an overall reduction in crime of 34 percent within the area covered by the CCTV system. Within East Ham there has been a staggering decrease in non-residential burglary of 72 per cent and in Stratford there has been a drop in vehicle related crime of 61 per cent and a reduction in reported drug possession of 60 per cent.” http://www.btredcarevision.com/pdf/Vision_ReducingCrime_Jan2006.pdf

CCTV Results in 53 Percent Fewer Convenience Store Robberies

“A 1991 nationwide study of CCTV surveillance in convenience stores showed promising results in deterring robberies. A sample of 81 stores were studied for 1 year before and 1 year after the installation of state-of-the-art CCTV camera surveillance systems. The number of robberies decreased by 53 percent after the first year.” (National Association of Convenience Stores, "Convenience Store Security: Report and Recommendations," National Association of Convenience Stores, November, 1991)

CCTV Results in Major Drop in Burglaries and Robberies in Long Island

“A study conducted in Long Island, New York, found that serious crimes, except rape, dropped after CCTV surveillance systems were installed by businesses and homeowners in 1993. There were 8,000 burglaries reported in Long Island in 1994, compared to about 15,000 in 1975. There were also fewer robberies in 1994 than in 1975. Although other factors such as changing demographics and community policing had some impact on the drop in robberies and burglaries, according to one criminologist, "Long Island is almost like a fortress, and security firms have had a tremendous impact on crime in this area.” (Analysis of Crime in the Two County Area of Long Island, New York, Presentation by Dr. Harvey Kushner, Chairman of the Department of Criminal Justice, CW Post College, to the Board of Directors of the Long Island News, March, 1996 http://www.library.ca.gov/CRB/97/05/

Cameras Reduce Crime, Deter Crime and Improve Conviction Rate

“Video surveillance cameras are creating a vastly increased rate of conviction after crimes are detected. Virtually everyone caught committing an offense on camera pleads guilty nowadays. Once people know they have been videotaped, they admit the offense immediately. Such is also the case in Newcastle, where the installation of a 16-camera system has resulted in a 100 per cent incidence of guilty pleas.” (Andrew Neil Show, BBC TV, 29 May 1996) “Police are delighted at the time and money they are saving from long and expensive trials.” (Dawson T, "Framing the Villains", New Statesman, 28 January 1994) “Indeed some districts are now reporting that people are surrendering after the mere mention in newspaper reports that their alleged activities had been captured on CCTV.” (Dawson T, "Framing the Villains", New Statesman, 28 January 1994)

Fresno Police Discuss Crime Reduction Using Digital Video Surveillance Cameras

“In January of 2006 Captain Al Maroney and Police Chief Jerry Dyer gave a presentation to the Fresno City Council. Throughout the presentation both Dyer and Maroney lauded video surveillance as an effective tool to reduce, deter, and investigate crime. During the meeting Dyer cited the unanimous support of the Police Chief's diverse Advisory Board.” http://www.fresno.gov/NR/rdonlyres/2DA0F308-17F3-481E-9927-566D1FC81998/...

An Extensive Meta Review Of Studies Found Extensive Reductions Of Both Property Damage And Personal Crimes

“During his visit to London in July 2005, Australian Prime Minister John Howard witnessed first-hand the UK’s response to the second of two bomb attacks on London’s transport system. So impressed was he with the authorities’ response that he declared "I think of all the things that I have taken out of the few days that I have been in London, none has been more powerful than the huge value of surveillance cameras.” A Review of Current Research into the Effectiveness of CCTV, by Rachel Armitage. http://www.renewal.net/Documents/RNET/Research/Cctvcurrentresearch.pdf

Transcript of the Prime Minister the Hon John Howard MP doorstop interview, Claridges Hotel, London, 23 July 2005, http://www.pm.gov.au/news/interviews/Interview1477.html (9 September 2005)

The "Shadow Effect" Can Improve Crime In Non-Monitored Areas. “Poyner (1991) evaluated a multi-component scheme at the University of Surrey in Guildford, England, in which both the two parking lots received up-graded lighting and foliage was cut back, but only the one parking lot received video surveillance cameras. Ten-months after the program started, the author found that thefts from vehicles were substantially reduced in both improved parking lots. In the camera-equipped site, the monthly average of incidents declined by almost three-quarters (73.3%), while in the second lot, they were almost eliminated (a drop of 93.8%)” http://64.233.179.104/scholar?hl=en&lr=&client=firefox-a&q=cache:X0WcmhE...

Numerous Advantages Reported by Australian Police

“Australian police have reported improved clear-up rates, a reduction in the number of ‘not guilty’ pleas and a higher chance of obtaining a conviction in cases where video surveillance formed part of the evidence. Furthermore, police also believe that the availability of video surveillance coverage has the potential to contribute to a reduction in the number of complaints against officers, and to facilitate management of available resources by better coordinating activities.” (K. Johansson, C. Milne and M. Merlene, Evaluation of the NSW Government Policy Statement and Guidelines for Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) in Public Places, ARTD Management & Research Consultants, July 2001)

Two Cities Report 11% Drop in Crime

“Since 1993 police in Tacoma, Washington have been using video cameras mounted on lampposts and telephone poles to monitor an area plagued by gangs, drug dealers and prostitutes. One of the most extensive video surveillance systems in the country has been in use in Baltimore, Maryland since 1996. Both cities report a drop in crime in those areas under surveillance.” “Frank Russo, a retired police commander and the public safety director for the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, the merchant association that spearheaded the surveillance project, says that besides making law-abiding people feel safer, the cameras are in part responsible for an 11 percent drop in crime in the area during the first year of operation.” http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/2000/3/00.03.05.x.html

Pushing Crime Somewhere Else

“Some police believe that video surveillance systems reduce crime in the area around the system. Richard Thomas, Acting Deputy Chief Constable for Gwent, told the BBC's Andrew Neil that he believed CCTV pushed some crime beyond the range of the cameras.” (Andrew Neil Show, BBC TV, 29 May 1996) “In his interview with 20/20, Leslie Sharp said, "Certainly the crime goes somewhere. I don't believe that just because you've got cameras in a city center that everyone says 'Oh well, we're going to give up crime and get a job. ” (Andrew Neil Show, BBC TV, 29 May 1996)

Cameras in City Center Reduced Crime 21.3%

“Skinns (1998, p. 176) evaluated a “multi-agency, police-led, town centre system, consisting of 63 cameras located in the commercial centre, multi-storey car parks and main town centre arterial roads” in Doncaster, England. Twenty-four months after the start of the program, total police-recorded crime had reduced in the experimental area by 21.3%.” http://64.233.179.104/scholar?hl=en&lr=&client=firefox-a&q=cache:X0WcmhE...

Camera Improvements Valued Second Only to Radios

“A recent survey of bus system operators around the country found that security cameras were second only to better radio communication devices on a list of needed capital improvements, according to the American Public Transportation Association.” Quoted by Steve Hemenway, a Transit safety expert in Texas. http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:T0UJaIduESUJ:www.hemenway.ca/+Santa+...

Video Record Locates Assault Suspects

“In August [2007], the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority used video footage to help find two suspects who assaulted a passenger.” http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/30/MNEOT2R0D.DT...

Cameras Allowed Police to Catch the Culprits Immediately

“Earlier this month [October 2007], cameras picked up people breaking into cars in [San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit] BART's parking lot at the Coliseum/Oakland Airport Station. Police then apprehended the suspected culprits at the scene, Spokesperson Johnson said.“ http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/30/MNEOT2R0D.DT...

Cameras in Montreal Metro Reduced Crime 20.0%

“In the Montreal subway, the “Metro,” CCTV cameras were installed in 13 stations (approximately ten cameras per station) over the course of 18 months. Grandmaison and Tremblay (1997) evaluated the program after 18 months of operation and found both a 20.0% reduction in total crime in the 13 monitored stations, and also a reduction in crime almost as large in other Metro stations (18.3 percent reduction). The measure of total crime included robbery, assault, purse snatching, other theft and fraud, vandalism, and other offenses.” http://64.233.179.104/scholar?hl=en&lr=&client=firefox-a&q=cache:X0WcmhE...

Damages on Busses Virtually Ceases Due to Cameras

“… damage to the video bus virtually ceased and damage to other buses working from that depot also decreased. The wide publicity the scheme attracted was felt to contribute to its success." “Although there were no [prior records,] an examination of records for the nine months following the introduction of the program showed a dramatic reduction in damage to seat cushions. Seat repairs at the depot in question were a third of what they were one year earlier. In this period, as well, the number of bus cleaners was reduced from six to two because of a lack of work.” http://aic.gov.au/publications/crimprev/graffiti/buses-t.html

98% Drop in Graffiti

10-29-07 “BART [San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit] Agency spokesman Linton Johnson said graffiti dropped 98 percent after the cameras were installed on trains.” http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/30/MNEOT2R0D.DT...

Sharp Reduction of Vandalism

For more information, please see the following web sites:

http://www.d3data.com/wsContent/default.view?_pagename=helpSchool

http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Surveillance+cameras+reduce+vandalism+a...

For More Information

http://www.library.ca.gov/CRB/97/05/

http://www.axis.com/success_stories/index.php

http://www.policeone.com/police-products/vehicle-equipment/in-car-video/...

About SightMind, Inc.

SightMind is a national company dedicated to providing IP-based video surveillance (IPVS) solutions to schools, government agencies, and commercial/industrial facilities.
SightMind was founded with the goal to bring highly reliable IP-based video surveillance systems to the major institutions and organizations in North America, including high schools, colleges, natural resources, utilities, transportation, public safety, shopping centers, industrial facilities, and large private sites. Legacy CCTV systems are being replaced and updated with modern, digital, networked systems. These IP-based systems provide extensive benefits to their owners, including expanded storage, higher reliability, high resolution sufficient to provide clear identification of people and vehicles, easier administration, cost savings, and customer service benefits far beyond the original security motivations.

IP-based video surveillance systems provide not only proven security benefits, but also site operational cost savings, labor savings, and customer service benefits beyond most customer's original expectations.

www.sightmind.com
SightMind, Inc., 48025 Fremont Blvd, Fremont, CA 94538
Tel 877-478-7988
email: info@sightmind.com