Local government public space CCTV systems in Australia

The rapid and sustained growth in use of public space closed-circuit television (CCTV) is well-documented. However, there are mixed findings as to the efficacy of CCTV in public places as a crime prevention or crime control measure. Analysis and exploration of findings from a national online survey of local councils across Australia conducted (by the Australian Institute of Criminology) in mid-2014 was conducted and is reported here. This paper seeks to provide a comprehensive snapshot of the determinative factors in local councils' decisions to install and maintain CCTV, the corresponding mechanisms of the network, and the prevalence of evaluations of public space CCTV systems across Australia. The findings illustrate a need for greater consideration of the objectives of CCTV which align with the purpose and perceived benefits of the systems, as well as the coverage and operational framework available to support ongoing implementation. Moreover, robust evaluations which assess the benefits of CCTV for deterrence, reduction or investigation of crime in demographically and geographically diverse areas is needed.