Abstract
In Setting the Watch: Privacy and the Ethics of CCTV Surveillance, Beatrice von Silva-Tarouca Larsen offers an extensive analysis associated with the use of close circuit television surveillance. This examination includes the potential abuses as well as the prescribed justifications. In particular, this text explores:
A conceptual understanding of privacy and the boundaries associated with the use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance. The types, implications, and societal influence of CCTV surveillance. The priority of rights with respect to the use of CCTV surveillance as a crime prevention measure. The regulatory and policy-based issues related to the use of CCTV surveillance.
In Chapter 1, Privacy Interests in Public Space, the author discusses the legitimacy of privacy within the contextual framework of theory and ethics. These approaches explore a number of critical perspectives that defy the traditional claims associated with privacy (i.e., emotional intensity, intimacy, etc.). This leads to the question of privacy claims within public settings, which is underscored through an in-depth analysis based upon the presentation of common illustrations and public scenarios. In support for privacy, a number of conventional explanations are examined. Within this framework, spatial and normative boundaries of access control are then presented within a number of contextual viewpoints. The chapter concludes with a number of philosophical claims (i.e., liberalism, individualism, etc.) that support the need for anonymity as well as the government-based efforts that may undermine the legitimacy of privacy under certain circumstances (i.e., crimes, disasters, etc.). This ultimately establishes the question of whether safety concerns are prioritized over the civil liberties of individual citizens through the use of CCTV.
Chapter 2, Does Public CCTV Violate Anonymity Interests, the question of whether or not the use of CCTV interferes with the idea of expected anonymity is explored. This discussion begins with the identification of various types of CCTV technology (i.e., placebo cameras, static cameras, etc.) with an emphasis related to the use of digital systems. The jurisdictional authority as well as the various types of surveillance practices is discussed. This leads to questions related to the extent of intrusiveness based upon the use of CCTV surveillance, which includes the relative aspects of perception, secrecy, privacy, and public scrutiny. The chapter concludes with a discussion regarding the potential public impact of CCTV in relation to controlling behavior and deterring crime.
In Chapter 3, Crime Prevention’s Possible Legitimising Role, the extent to which the use of CCTV can offer a justifiable intrusion is examined. This assessment begins by exploring a number of relative conceptions associated with the priority of individual rights and crime prevention objectives. This leads into a discussion associated with the efficacy of anonymity, which includes relative importance, comparative priority (i.e., free speech), and hierarchal status in terms of rights. The prospective violated impact of CCTV is explored within the contextual framework of individual intimacy, residential privacy, and the subjective nature of rating privacy within public settings. Ultimately, the question of whose interests are served at the expense of the CCTV crime prevention is explored. This includes the identification of specific crime prevention objectives as well the perceived needs associated with the use of such. The chapter concludes with a discussion regarding the use of CCTV in relation to crime reduction. This includes the identification of certain specific mechanisms (i.e., detection measures), its deterrent effect upon potential criminals, and general conclusions regarding the effectiveness of CCTV.
In Chapter 4, Policy Principles and the Regulation of Public CCTV Surveillance, critical observations are presented with respect to a variety of policy measures. A significant amount of this information examines a number of relative advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of CCTV surveillance. This includes the monitoring of individuals not suspected of crime, the preservation of anonymity in public areas, and the use of covert and placebo surveillance mechanisms. In addition, specific uses of CCTV are discussed which includes stopping terrorism, monitoring individuals in their vehicles, and the apprehension of certain criminal activities. At this point, fundamental public regulation aspects of CCTV are identified. This includes location, funding, and review. It also encompasses a number of the specific implementation aspects that include public awareness, types of surveillance (i.e., audio surveillance, night vision) monitoring schemes, review of recordings, and various safeguarding measures. This leads to a discussion regarding a number of critical aspects related to the use of surveillance evidence. In an effort to provide an overview of the most relevant laws associated with the use of CCTV, the chapter concludes by examining the use, achievements, and shortcomings associated with regulatory use of CCTV in England and Wales.
Setting the Watch: Privacy and the Ethics of CCTV Surveillance explores a variety of rationales associated with the preservation of privacy within the context of public safety and security. Through the use of CCTV surveillance, the author provides an in-depth and practical discussion that raises the question of legitimacy and public anonymity while simultaneously encouraging the necessity of operational restraint. It offers a philosophical and technical approach that uniquely highlights both individual and collective impressions. From an academic standpoint, the text underscores a number of theoretical perspectives related to social behavior and the perception of individual rights. From a pragmatic standpoint, it provides a variety of types and security-based rationales associated with the use of CCTV surveillance. Setting the Watch: Privacy and the Ethics of CCTV Surveillance is a concise and detailed manuscript that is ideal for graduate students, policy makers, and those interested in the disciplines of sociology, criminal justice, and political science.