Police Video Surveillance

An increasing number of cities around the world usage Police Video Surveillance video cameras to avoid criminal activity, yet little is understood about whether these cams reduce criminal offense or merely relocate to other areas. This column researches the influence of a large-scale intro of police-monitored video cameras in Montevideo, Uruguay. The findings suggest a 20% decrease in criminal offense in areas of the city where the video cameras lie, without any proof of a displacement impact. The program additionally shows up to provide value for cash compared with other safety and criminal offense prevention measures.

A boosting number of cities globally are depending on monitoring video cameras as a tool for stopping crimes and also supporting investigations and also prosecutions. Nevertheless, insufficient is learnt about the result of security electronic cameras on crime, and also specifically, little is known about whether cams minimize criminal activity or merely transfer criminal activity to various other areas.

The effect of police-monitored video cameras in Montevideo

In an honest paper (Munyo and Rossi 2019) we examine the effect of a massive intro of police-monitored electronic cameras in Montevideo (the resources city of Uruguay, with 1.5 million inhabitants). In 2013 the Ministry of the Interior of Uruguay started to install monitoring electronic cameras in some areas of the city. These cams are constantly enjoyed by law enforcement officer located in a monitoring centre that incorporates video surveillance innovation with the activity of authorities patrol feedback.3.

Areas where cams are set up see a considerable decrease in criminal offense

In order to research the effect of this policy on crime, we take advantage of a special data source that consists of deep space of documented criminal offense in the whole city of Montevideo, by street segment, and the place and the moment of the installation of all authorities checking video cameras in the city. To identify the result of police-monitored cams on criminal activity, we use a difference-in-differences method that manipulates the irregularity with time and area in the introduction of the cameras. Our quotes indicate that the presence of police-monitored cameras is associated with a decrease in crime of around 20% in dealt with locations of the city.

What is the reasoning behind these results? In principle, the impact of Police Video Surveillance on crime could potentially work through deterrence (a police existence makes criminal activity much less eye-catching) as well as incapacitation (policeman capture lawbreakers, leaving fewer of them around to dedicate future criminal activities). In spite of unscientific proof of arrests made by cops patrols notified by officers in the monitoring centre, our results are unlikely to reflect modifications in the numbers of incarcerated lawbreakers. Thus, our team believe that our price quotes need to be interpreted as a deterrent impact of cops tracking on criminal activity.

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