Wednesday, December 24, 2008

CCTV security - It's origins and uses

By Giles May

Close-circuit television or CCTV transmits video footages from mounted cameras to remote monitors, commonly for security and safety purposes. The transmission can take place either wirelessly or through cables connecting the video camera to the monitors.

Developed first in Germany in 1942 to record the V2 rocket launch by German engineer Walter Bruch, the CCTV system was installed in main city streets in an effort to prevent crimes. Banks and stores followed suit, monitoring and recording the activities within the establishment. CCTV systems are now available for private individuals for the security of their homes and properties.

The system works by installing video cameras, which often tilts and pans the room, in strategic places that can give a wide view of the location. These video cameras transmit and record these images to a remote monitor or set of monitors usually observed by security personnel.

CCTV systems are often installed in densely populated areas; banks, airports, subways, stores and malls, police and military facilities and even in the streets. These crowded locations are prime targets for crimes like theft, terrorism and other acts of violence. Studies show that a criminal is unlikely to commit physical crimes such as direct assault within the view of or near a camera. The fact that the offender's features can be recorded in the cameras and be used to catch him later can greatly deter someone from committing a crime.

Whether the CCTV can actually reduce crimes is still being debated upon, but it has provided help in criminal identification. Recordings of the CCTV installed in shops can provide recognition to shop-lifters and burglars or clues to crimes done within the vicinity. Other than monitoring criminal acts, the surveillance systems are also being used to combat anti-social behaviours which include minor offenses such as littering, urinating in public, traffic violations, drunkenness and other public order offenses.

Although most linked with security and surveillance, there are other uses of CCTV system. Electron microscopy, medical imaging and robotics are few other functions of this technology. Live on-site video feeds for conferences, concerts and sports coverage such as boxing and wrestling are also an application of the CCTV system, as these footages are broadcasted to small and specific areas.

The CCTV systems have various types. Some cameras capture only images, while some can record sounds as well. The type of CCTV camera for a particular business depends on its main usage. If the main purpose is for surveillance or traffic control, it is not required to have coloured cameras; black and white images have better resolution. However, if the main purpose of the CCTV system is criminal identification and deterrence, a coloured system is essential.

A CCTV system can offer a sense of peace and safety to the everyday citizen; the awareness that criminals and terrorists are unlikely to commit violent acts when there are cameras around help calm people's minds.

Lessening crime rates and bringing peace of mind to citizens only shows how valuable CCTV systems are to this present day. - 15790

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