Does Video Surveillance Prevent Crime?
The answer is twofold.
On one hand, wherever one facility has signage displayed prominently, warning the passers-by about presence of a surveillance or CCTV system and/or the cameras are mounted in a visible areas and the other building has none of these items a potential perpetrator will likely select the latter as his target.
Even the carrier criminals may be are well aware of the shortcomings of today’s video surveillance systems and likely plan their acts around them; they will think twice before targeting a residence armed with security cameras, even if they chose to wear disguises, i.e. masks, sunglasses and hats.
On the other hand, those who engage in criminal activities are not your average Joe’s and are often driven by irrational factors, such as mental issues, substance addiction or otherwise sociologically abnormal. They don’t take time to analyze whether there’s security monitoring system at the place they’re about to hit, nor ponder potential consequences of their action as they often act determined and swiftly.
It makes a difference whether the cameras are installed in an open public space, such as warehouse type of stores or parking garages, where people are accustomed to their presence as they sort of blend into the ambience of the surroundings or they are mounted up high on the corners of the buildings.
Although the common sentiment is that the visible presence of cameras serves as crime deterrent and numerous studies have been done on the subject matter, the evidence supporting it isn’t overwhelmingly conclusive today. Given the experience and dealing with various camera system in different settings over the years we are certainly the proponents of the theory that video surveillance can prevent acts of crime from materializing.