| Many cities, businesses, and individuals have installed | | | | We have all seen the news reports about the 2005 |
| Closed-Circuit TV (CCTV) cameras for surveillance | | | | London Terrorist bombings of the subways. Without |
| purposes. London in particular, has installed thousands | | | | the camera systems, where officials were able to |
| of surveillance video cameras. New York City with | | | | track the movements of the perpetrators, it is very |
| more than 4000 video cameras in just Manhattan, has | | | | likely that it would have taken much longer to solve |
| adopted many of the same strategies as London, and | | | | those crimes. |
| cities across the U.S. are on a comparable path. These | | | | Surveillance works best when there is a system |
| cameras make many people feel safer, but this | | | | observing the camera output. But human time is |
| technology can make other people concerned with a | | | | expensive, and this is where video analytics can be |
| perceived loss of privacy. | | | | important. If a computer can screen many cameras, |
| The investment required for a surveillance camera can | | | | and have the human review only the probable events, |
| be significant. Some of these cameras can cost up to | | | | then a single human can monitor many more cameras. |
| $60,000 each, and that is before the cost for human | | | | It is also more rewarding for the human not to watch |
| resources to monitor the output is considered. J.P. | | | | camera output from eventless images. But we should |
| Freeman, a security market analyst company, projects | | | | keep our expectations realistic. |
| that the U.S. will annually invest 21 billion dollars in these | | | | If we believed Hollywood, camera systems with this |
| systems by 2010. The market for CCTV systems in | | | | kind of artificial intelligence have almost mystical power. |
| the U.S. increased by almost 700 percent from 1980 to | | | | The truth is that it is very difficult for a computer to |
| 2000. | | | | interpret many environments, at least with today's level |
| Do the experiences to date, show that surveillance | | | | of technology. However, a computer system equipped |
| cameras improve the public's safety? Because of the | | | | with video analytics software, teamed with a skilled |
| political agendas in play, with the camera industry | | | | human, can effectively monitor many cameras. |
| biased in favor and civil libertarian groups biased | | | | Chicago has hired IBM to install camera systems with |
| against, the answer is clouded with hyperbole. | | | | video analytic software. "That's really going to just |
| For example, the headline from a news article about a | | | | throw our camera network into hyperdrive," said Kevin |
| study conducted by the University of California "Center | | | | Smith, a spokesman with the Chicago's Office of |
| for Information Technology Research in the Interest of | | | | Emergency Management and Communications |
| Society" (CITRIS) read "SF SURVEILLANCE | | | | (OEMC). "Ultimately I think what this software might be |
| CAMERAS DON'T STOP VIOLENT CRIME". | | | | able to do is simply recognize suspicious behavior and |
| However, this CITRIS study found that the cameras | | | | alert our operations people and, at times, our crime |
| were very effective in reducing property crimes within | | | | detections specialists as to what it sees." Chicago is |
| 100 feet of the cameras, resulting in a reduction of 24 | | | | installing surveillance cameras on all of their buses and |
| percent, but that fact was buried in the news article. | | | | subways to provide mobile eyes on the city. Once |
| The CITRUS study was very thorough and is | | | | their mobile broadband system is in place, the data will |
| frequently cited as evidence that surveillance cameras | | | | be available in near real-time. Chicago is the world |
| don't work, even though the study found significant | | | | leader in the application of video analytics on this scale. |
| positive effects from the cameras. However, because | | | | Surveillance cameras can be a deterrent to crime. In a |
| those results may not be consistent with the agenda, | | | | study of convenience stores, CCTV surveillance |
| those results are often not reported. | | | | showed impressive results. A sample of 81 stores |
| There is also bias from industry groups, since they | | | | were studied for 1 year before and and 1 year after |
| make their money from selling cameras. The newest | | | | the installation of CCTV camera surveillance systems. |
| technology in camera surveillance is the use of | | | | The rate of robbery decreased by 53 percent after |
| computers to interpret the data. This is a kind of | | | | the cameras were installed. The New York City |
| artificial intelligence that is called "video analytics", and is | | | | Housing Authority estimates that the CCTV systems |
| potentially beneficial for efficient use of surveillance | | | | have reduced crime by 36% in their public housing. |
| cameras, but this technology has sometimes been | | | | Baltimore (17%), Dallas (11%) and Philadelphia (37%) |
| significantly oversold by the surveillance camera | | | | also report improvement in the rate of crime because |
| industry. This technology works best in less complex | | | | of their downtown camera monitoring systems. |
| environments, such as a warehouse or loading dock | | | | However, not every city reports improvement. |
| that should be idle. Video analytics works much less | | | | Washington D.C., for example, says that their cameras |
| well in busy environments like a crowd at a shopping | | | | have proven ineffective. In a British study, of 14 British |
| mall. | | | | cities that utilized a CCTV system, the systems had |
| "Some of the claims that are made are just ridiculous," | | | | little effect on crime in six of the cities. |
| says Oliver Vellacott, CEO of IndigoVision, a British | | | | The conclusion is that a successful camera |
| company that develops video analytics technology. "It's | | | | surveillance program requires more than just installing |
| important not to believe all the ridiculous hype and | | | | hardware. An effective program comprehends that a |
| nonsense about what analytics can deliver." | | | | camera that is not monitored, is a dumb piece of |
| It has been demonstrated many times that camera | | | | hardware, and the camera system will lack credibility. |
| recording can be used to solve crimes. The Chicago | | | | Dallas uses retired and light-duty officers for their |
| Police Department estimates that the web of cameras | | | | camera monitors. Smart systems (video analytics) can |
| installed in their city has been an important tool, resulting | | | | make human monitoring much more efficient. Over |
| in more than 1,200 arrests since 2006. The Dallas | | | | time, as camera systems successfully address crime, |
| Police Department has reported more than 1,700 | | | | the deterrence effect of the cameras will improve. |
| arrests in a similar period from their camera system. | | | | This is the message from London and New York. |