With people having increased worries about the safety of themselves and their loved ones more and more cities, businesses and schools are turning to CCTV surveillance in an effort to curb crime and violence. Just how affective Closed Circuit TV surveillance is depends a great deal on where and how they are used.

CCTV surveillance seems to have little effect on many city streets and neighborhoods. In fact, experts say that the money would be better spent on having increased patrols in neighborhoods where crime rate and violence is high.

However, in high schools, CCTV surveillance does seem to help curb some of the violence that has become so much a part of many school systems. One reason for this is that these cameras are not hidden and the school administrators make a point of informing students and faculty that they are being watched. Knowing that they may be caught if they disobey school rules or partake in any kind of violence seems to be enough to curb this type of behavior.

So where does that leave CCTV surveillance when used in places such as pubs or bars? Will this method of surveillance help curb violence in places such as this. The answer is that CCTV surveillance in pubs or bars can either be very effective or totally useless depending on the equipment that is used and the way it is monitored.

Simply knowing that the surveillance equipment is there and is turned on does little to curb the violence that occurs in pubs or bars. One reason for this is the introduction of alcohol into the equation.

Many people who drink in excess lose their ability to think coherently. In many cases this is what leads to violence in the first place and it is also going to make the person consuming the alcohol unable to comprehend or care that he is being video taped regardless of his behavior. If his anger erupts he will use violence simply because he has either forgotten the cameras are there or is past caring that he is being watched.

Having a CCTV surveillance system that is simply recording might help identify someone after they become violent but it certainly will not prevent any one from reaching that stage. However, using this equipment and having a person monitor what is happening while it is happening may allow the watcher to spot people who are becoming inebriated and argumentative allowing for intervention before violence erupts.

The key to using this equipment to curb or stop violence in places such as pubs is having live people observing what is going on. This equipment will eliminate the need for extra manpower in larger places as one person can monitor several cameras covering many areas all at the same time. This will allow for both better coverage and observation and the opportunity to see trouble brewing before it actually occurs.

In fact, in most cases where CCTV surveillance has failed to stop crime or violence it is because the equipment has been installed and left to record with no live people watching and ready to intervene should a crime or violence take place.

This equipment can be a crucial aid in making our bars, schools, business and even neighborhoods safer if those installing it remember that these cameras are just that, an aid. They are not meant to nor can they react to a crime or violence that is occurring only the police or other qualified personnel can do that. What this equipment can do is make it simpler for fewer people to watch larger areas and alert the proper people when they see something suspicious or a crime occurring.

When CCTV surveillance equipment fails it is because the equipment was not used properly to fulfill its purpose or intention. Quite simply this equipment cannot stop violence in a pub or anywhere else, it is simply a practical tool that can aid those whose job it is to prevent the violence in doing their job with greater ease and reliability.

If you are planning on using CCTV surveillance equipment to help protect your business or neighborhood remember that using this equipment properly is the best way to achieve the goal for which you have purchased it.

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Every year countless homes are broken into and the families valuables are stolen leaving families to feel violated and suffering the loss of often irreplaceable pieces of jewelry or other valuables. Because this is such a frequent occurrence in today’s world insurance rates have soared and families find themselves paying higher and higher premiums.

While insurance is necessary to have in order to be able to recoup the financial loss of stolen items, insurance cannot replace those pieces whose sentimental value goes far beyond a monetary value. For those people who are fortunate enough to never lose items due to home burglaries the high insurance rates themselves seem almost like robbery. So just what can a family do to protect their property without paying those huge insurance premiums.

A DVR Surveillance System just may be the answer.

How Can I Afford A DVR Surveillance System Help?

At one time DVR surveillance systems were so expensive that only the most well to do members of society could afford to have them installed in their homes or businesses. However, with new technology surveillance systems have drastically been lowered in price, making them affordable to almost anyone who has anything of value to protect.

There are many companies who now not only offer you these systems at an affordable price but also can offer you systems that are simple and easy to install yourself thereby saving you the huge installation cost usually associated with installing such systems.

How Does a DVR Surveillance System Help Protect My Valuables and Lower My Insurance Rates?

There are many different types of surveillance systems. While some are just rudimentary and really offer little protection in the way of actually protecting your property they can record uninvited people or even invited guests being in rooms they are not supposed to be in and can record then taking things from your house. While this will not actually protect your valuables from being stolen, it can aid in recovering the items since the thief will be literally caught on tape. The more items that are successfully recovered the more likely it is that insurance rates will go down.

Other systems can be hardwired right into your home including various entrances to your house. These systems may give off a warning that serves to either frighten the intruder away or alerts the home owner or even the police that a break in is taking place. These systems often result in the culprit being caught in the act which in fact does protect your valuables from being stolen.

Will Any DVR Surveillance System Lower My Insurance Rates?

Not every surveillance system out there will help lower your insurance rates. However, many insurance companies do lower their premiums for homes that have what they deem an acceptable surveillance system. Different insurance companies require different levels of systems but, almost all insurance companies require that they be hard wired rather than battery operated as batteries can easily die and not be replaced making the system unable to do it’s job and leaving the property unprotected.

If you are considering purchasing a DVR surveillance system the wisest course is to check with your insurance company before you buy and find out exactly what they require a surveillance system to do in order for them to lower your insurance rates. You can then shop for a system that will meet your insurance companies requirements.

What Happens If I Can’t Afford The Type of System My Insurance Company Requires?

In the unlikely event that you simply can’t afford a surveillance system that meets your insurance companies standards, check with various DVR surveillance system companies and see if they have a system that will offer you at least minimum protection now and can later be updated to meet your insurance companies standards. That way you will at least have a system in place that will increase your chances of recovering any property that does get stolen. Having no system in place makes the chances of recovery less likely.

Choosing the right DVR surveillance system cannot only lower your insurance rates and help protect your valuables but it can also give you and your family some peace of mind. Isn’t that worth looking into?

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Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) has greatly improved traffic control in many cities. Through continuous analysis of live data, traffic controllers are able to respond faster to emergencies such as crime and road accidents. The CCTV cameras provide data that assists in the easing of traffic congestion as well as the management of traffic during bad weather. The use of CCTV in handling traffic is an integral part of an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS). The ATMS was first used to manage traffic in Atlanta, Georgia during the 1996 summer Olympic Games. The success of the system during such a high profile event that would otherwise have led to a massive gridlock in the city, led to the widespread use of CCTV-based traffic management systems in many other cities across the US.

In the US, several areas of government install and use CCTV cameras on the road for different reasons and are financed by different arms of government. This means that there is need for coordination and cooperation between these different government agencies in order to enable sharing of data as well as avoid unnecessary duplication of infrastructure. For instance, Emergency Management units use CCTV cameras on streets with high crime rates. The CCTV cameras help to aid the overall response time to a criminal incident as well as help to deter and reduce incidents of crime. Emergency Management CCTV surveillance programs are approved and financed by the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The other government units that use CCTV cameras on the roads are Public Transport Agencies. Public Transport teams position these cameras in key transport locations such as bus stops and park-and-ride lots. CCTV cameras can also be placed inside the vehicles that the unit is responsible for. With the cameras, the Public Transport fleet can be better managed and crime and accidents on location can be more easily investigated. Live feeds also provide a good gauge of the number of persons waiting for vehicles at a given bus stop, Public Transport agencies are able to deploy the vehicles in a more effective way that makes the best uses of available vehicles based on areas where they are needed more. The Public Transport units fall under the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

Another government unit that uses CCTV on roads is Public Works. Public Works teams will place CCTV cameras around the different types of infrastructure that they are responsible for. The types of infrastructure referred to include near electricity stations and water distribution points. The Public Works CCTV systems are supported by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the fees paid for the use of public utilities. Public Schools are also now positioning CCTV cameras on streets near schools and at the school’s parking. The cameras assist schools to react fast to any emergencies affecting their buses and on the streets adjacent to the school.

Then there are the Traffic Management teams. Traffic Management departments install CCTV cameras at areas that are renown for traffic congestion and those that often have above average accident rates. The role of the Traffic Management team is to direct or redirect traffic accordingly, in order to lessen the congestion. Drivers will also be diverted in an orderly manner from roads that are closed due to construction, the effects of the weather (such as heavy rainfall) and accidents. In Utah for example, such messages are displayed on Utah’s 69 message signs and on the ‘Utah’s Know Before You Go’ website. The cameras system has proven to be very handy when directing traffic such as after a major football game. The Traffic Management units are managed and funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

For the Traffic Management units to best succeed at their role, they have to take cognizance of any CCTV infrastructure that has already been installed in the area and try and work with the party already responsible for the CCTV system with the aim of using the data for managing traffic. Doing this can lead to cost savings for all parties involved as they may also be able to use infrastructure already installed by the Traffic Management team in a different part of the city.

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Since the early 1990s, closed circuit television (CCTV) surveillance in cities has been gaining ground in many western countries including the United States and the United Kingdom. Today, many of the world’s most modern cities and towns are well covered with CCTV systems. The main reason for installing CCTV in cities is to combat crime. There are many examples of cities that have recorded a drastic reduction in crime after the installation of CCTV cameras especially in areas around the city that are known to have a high crime rate.

The rationale for the reduction in crime is primarily deterrence-once a criminal is aware of the conspicuous presence of a CCTV camera around the area they wanted to commit a crime, they would often rather avoid risking getting caught in the act on camera. In fact, this deterring effect is so powerful that a number of cities have registered a drop in crime on announcement of plans to install CCTV cameras even before the actual installation or activation of the CCTV system takes place.

Another major reason for having CCTV cameras around the city is in order to assist in the investigation and prosecution of burglars, robbers and other law breakers. With the video coverage provided by CCTV systems, investigators are able to get onto credible leads much faster and this translates to the apprehension and prosecution of criminals much quicker than would happen without CCTV data.

Even though CCTV data will not always have all the data required to identify the person or persons that committed a certain crime, the data from the videos significantly reduces the odds of the wrong person being apprehended for a crime. Of course this of itself serves to rid the city of notorious criminals and helps keep the streets safer.  The prosecution of criminals using CCTV data then translates to a deterrent as any burglar and robber must now reckon with the fact that the CCTV surveillance actually works and can lead to his or her conviction and imprisonment.

Since CCTV surveillance is real time, it not only deters crime or fosters investigation, but it also allows law enforcement and security teams to actively stop a criminal incident that is in progress. With the live coverage, the CCTV surveillance team can quickly detect an ongoing bank robbery, carjacking, shooting, kidnapping, hostage crisis, public riot or a fight and immediately notify the police and any other security teams in the area to intervene and prevent damage or minimize the amount of damage that is incurred. This is important because the speed of response and intervention during an ongoing incident can make all the difference in not only the amount of property is lost or damaged, but more importantly it can be the difference between saving a life or preventing serious body harm for the victims.

With CCTV and DVR serveillance systems, law enforcement teams can track the getaway car and use the data to activate road blocks and check points in strategic locations across the city as well as notify the entire law enforcement team in the area to be on the lookout for the criminals. There are numerous cases where police teams have managed to quickly track down or catch up with the robbers’ getaway car thanks to the CCTV cameras.

But CCTV use is not just growing in cities but among the private sector as well. Actually, the private sector was the first to wholly embrace the use of CCTV in business premises as well as homes. Many of today’s modern down town business premises consider CCTV not just a good to have but a must have. Such buildings will not only install CCTV within the building-many will include CCTV cameras that scan the periphery of the building especially areas that would seem ideal for burglars to obtain unauthorized entry into the building.

For this reason, cities must work hand in hand with the private sector to ensure that the synergies of a joint approach are fully harnessed. There would be no need to have a CCTV camera installed by the city’s administration and yet there is already one or more private cameras that scan the area. Doing this would ensure that resources are used well and installation is done only where necessary.

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Surveillance is one of the most important pillars of security. It is meant to not only actively establish that everything is alright, but also serves as a deterrent for crime. In times past, surveillance would involve a security guard walking around the premises to confirm that everything is okay and that there is no one trying to gain unauthorized entry into the facility. The main shortcoming of this ‘manned’ approach is that the security guard can only be at one place at any given time.

If the premises being covered is large, then more than one security guard will be required which translates into higher cost for the premises owner or tenant. Second, the security guard might not be able to help in any way when it comes to the detection and deterrence against employee crime. These drawbacks of ‘manned’ surveillance are what have accelerated the popularity of closed circuit television (CCTV) surveillance systems and nowhere is this probably more apparent than in nightclubs.

A nightclub is the place where people go to let their hair down, relax and have loads of fun. Unfortunately, nightclubs are also a hot bed of crime since even though there is usually a degree of vetting that takes place on who comes in and what they are carrying, it is hardly perfect. Nightclubs are associated with fights, drugs and robbery. While having a number of club bouncers is a good thing, they can only do so much.

When crime does take place inside the club, knowing who was responsible can be difficult. A CCTV system can help ease this process since it capture and transmits a live stream of surveillance video to a television monitor allowing the security personnel to not only see who was responsible for a particular incident but to also provide the information required to prevent a crime from taking place.

A CCTV surveillance system also helps to ensure that there are no minors allowed into the nightclub. Even though the CCTV camera may not be able to pick out the details of each id presented to establish whether what was produced was a legitimate or acceptable proof of identification, the camera can at least be used to ensure that no one gets into the night club without being asked to produce a form of identification, either due to negligence or because they have bribed their way in. The importance of age monitoring cannot be over emphasized as a night club can easily have its license revoked it is established that there is very little monitoring of the age of persons getting into the club. With a CCTV or DVR surveillance system, one can always prove to the relevant authorities that all persons entering the club have to prove that they are of age.

Break-ins can also be deterred or investigated through CCTV data. Just stating that a nightclub is covered by CCTV will discourage burglars from trying to break in or from carrying out an armed robbery. This is because the robbers will know that even if they hold patrons hostage in order to prevent them from alerting the police, the CCTV surveillance team will easily be able to alert the police and the backup security team. If the robbers flee the scene before help comes, the CCTV recording can be used to piece together vital evidence that can be used to identify the culprits.

But CCTV in nightclubs is not only meant for monitoring the club’s patrons. Statistics show that unsupervised point of sale (POS) attendants in a nightclub waste at least 1 in every 8 keg drinks through carelessness while pouring drinks for clients. When projected over a longer period such as over a month, this wastage is an enormous drain on the nightclub’s revenue and net profit. And this is not all – employee theft through collusion is known to be an even larger source of revenue loss for night clubs and pubs.

Bartenders and waiters or waitresses will give out free drinks or pour more expensive brands than what the client actually paid for. Usually this would be done in exchange for a favor, such as patron loyalty and motivation for a hefty tip. The favor can also be a request for a job or even for sex. With a good quality CCTV surveillance system in a nightclub, such incidents can be significantly reduced as well as deterred since the club owner can have someone actively check on the surveillance video to confirm that no one is getting more than they paid for.

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There are many people out there who believe that the use of CCTV and face recognition is an invasion of privacy. The thing is though, where these DVR or face recognition systems are being set up, there really is not an invasion of privacy because you do not have privacy in the stands of football games, walking down the street, at the ATM, at airports, along country borders or in the casino. Basically, the areas where this technology is being implemented is in public areas.

How It Helps

These systems are not to spy on people. In fact, if you do not have a warrant out for your arrest or you are not trying to cheat the casinos, then you have nothing to worry about. If someone is not looking for you, your face will never even be looked at by anyone because they simply will not care about you. It’s not that they are rude, it is just that they only care to capture criminals.

Now, card counters at casinos may not be criminals, but they are not welcome in many casinos. Once the casino catches a card counter, they are asked to never return. Since a casino is a private business, they can control who does and does not enter their building. The casinos use face recognition technology to watch for card counters that try to return after being told to never come back. As far as everyone else in the casino, the face recognition program will most likely not affect you.

This is also true for anyone walking down a street that has this system in place. Back in 2001 for Super Bowl XXXV in Florida, 19 people who had outstanding warrants for their arrest were caught and arrested, all thanks to a facial recognition system being used to scan the crowd. Back in 2000, the Mexican government implanted the use of this technology to make sure that people where not voting more than once under different names – trying to commit voter fraud. Throughout parts of the United States, this system has been used to prevent people from faking driver’s licenses and identification cards with names other than their own.

How It Works

Many people are concerned that there is no way for a computer or camera to correctly identify the people they are looking for. However, because science and technology has advanced so much, it is extremely possible and it is something that has been proven to work. Of course, there is the rare case of mistaken identity. Computers are not perfect. Many systems will have a live person examine the face of the person the computer alerted them to. They will make the determination of whether or not it is an exact match and then at that time the police can be called.

Of course, still, humans make mistakes to. But the rate of those mistakes happening are no more than the mistakes that civilians make when they think they saw the neighbor down the street on a “Wanted” poster at the post office and then turns him in to the authorities. The fact is, no matter whether we count on civilians alone to spot criminals or we implement a face recognition system, there will be a few mistakes here and there. As long as the greater good is being accomplished, then all is well. Many criminals have been spotted and hauled off to jail all thanks to a system like this. If they had not been located and apprehended, they would possibly still be walking the streets, committing more crimes.

Now that you have learned a little more about this technology, you might have a different opinion on it, or at the very least, have a better understanding of the way it is used. This is not meant to invade on the privacy of anyone. It is meant to keep you and your family safe and to put those who belong in jail – in jail.

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In today’s society it often takes two working parents to raise a family. This means that for 6, 8 or more hours a day, you have to trust your child’s well being to someone else while you work. Most parents do everything possible to make sure that they choose a reliable and skilled day care provider for their children. They ask friends, relatives and neighbors for recommendations, they seek professional services, they interview potential child care providers, check references and observe how the sitter or nanny interacts with their child.

Despite all this there are still too many incidents of child neglect and abuse of children at the hands of child care providers. Parents are worried, and well they should be. While most child care providers are excellent at what they do and provide a warm and nurturing environment for children in their care, this offers little comfort to the parents of the children who are hurt or killed at the hands of the person they entrusted their child’s care too. The alarming thing is many times, these children are injured at the hands of trained professionals who have excellent references and no hint of abuse in their background. So exactly what can a parent do to protect their child while they work.

Get a Dvr Surveillance Camera

While many parents hesitate to get a Dvr Surveillance camera (nanny cam) because they feel that such a move is a little over the top, the truth is it makes perfect sense. You wouldn’t leave your businesses unprotected when you are not there why leave your child who is much more important unprotected when you can’t be with them and may just save your child from permanent or serious injury.

Dvr Surveillance cameras are ultra small and can be built into a variety of common household items so that no one will ever know that they are there. These cameras come built inside of wall clocks, air purifiers, tower fans and co2 detectors. Many of the new models are wireless, and most can be accessed via a computer and some by a cell phone, if your phone has that function built in.

Should I Purchase a Dvr Surveillance Camera If I suspect My Child is Being Abused?

While purchasing a Dvr Surveillance camera if you suspect your child is being abused may either confirm or deny your suspicions the best time to purchase a camera is before you hire your day care provider. This makes sense for a couple of reasons. First, although you may hire a first rate sitter who may never abuse or neglect your child the camera will give you peace of mind when you are at work. Think of how much better you will feel, tuning into your home and seeing that the person you hired to care for your child is doing just that, taking the time to play and talk to your child as well as seeing to all his or her needs. This peace of mind is worth far more than the camera will cost you.

On the other hand if your child care provider is neglecting or abusing your child then keep in mind that these incidents start small and increase over time. By the time you suspect that abuse may be taking place your child could have already been subjected to weeks or even months of abuse. Having a camera right at the onset will allow you to stop the abuse immediately before your child has to suffer repeated abuse.

Is it Legal to Tape my Sitter Without their Knowledge?

While there are several states that make it illegal to voice record people without their knowledge it is legal in all 50 states to video record people in your home without their knowledge. However, there are experts that suggest telling your child care provider that you have a hidden camera actually provides the child with even better care from excellent sitters as they don’t know when they are being watched. Surprisingly many child care providers like the idea that parents can check in via cameras throughout the day and feel that it provides a better working relationship between sitter and parent.

Are Dvr surveillance cameras worth the money?

Dvr surveillance cameras may start as low as about $100.00 and run as much as $500.00 or $600.00 depending on the quality you are looking for. That is a pretty cheap price to pay for your peace of mind and your child’s well being.

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