In an interesting campaign to engineer new ways to deter crime, a study reveals that “being watched with eyes” plays a psychological role in honest behavior and crime prevention. In an article on how photos of eyes can deter crime, “Studies that record the activity of single brain cells find that particular cells fire when someone is staring right at you, but—amazingly—not when the observer’s gaze is averted just a few degrees to the left or right of you” Having a location monitored with video cameras, or “watching eyes,” lessens the potential for a crime to take place. Yet, are video cameras really effective?
In an article on using video cameras in crime prevention, the researchers found, “The presence of cameras was effective in reducing crime for some, though not all areas. The key isn’t in just having cameras, the report states, but in how they’re used — how many cameras are employed, where they’re set up, and how well they’re monitored.” A visible crime deterrent such as video cameras are productive against the criminal mind, causing a potential thief or trespasser to think twice before moving forward with their criminal activity.
The study concludes, “the cameras are an effective tool in reducing crime if deployed the right way, and they can be worth the sometimes substantial investment in setting up the systems.” Possessing video cameras is an essential, proactive way to guard the valuable assets belonging to any business or property. Whether it is an office building, or an industrial site, having the right surveillance system is efficient as a first-line of defense to detract criminal activity.
A massive government study on video surveillance used as a crime prevention tool also reported positive results, leading to similar conclusions in a variety of U.S. cities, such as Memphis, “Crime is down 10 percent and data collection is in place,” and New Jersey, “Auto thefts are down 40 percent.” According to this research, video cameras remain a great deterrent to potential criminal activity.
Stealth Monitoring specializes in using video cameras in crime prevention. There is the visible deterrent of the video camera with an added benefit. Trained operator “eyes” remotely watch commercial properties in real-time. These operators can do more than just watch from a safe location. They can also can activate an audible alarm to deter criminals and, if necessary, call the local police. For more information on how Stealth Monitoring can design a proactive monitoring system that can protect your property and assets contact us. Visit our web site to see actual videos of criminals being watched, deterred, and apprehended.
