Be Warned: There are CCTV Cameras Everywhere

In recent years, more and more crimes have been solved by the presence of CCTV cameras in commercial establishments, residential buildings, and homes. These cameras capture images of burglars and other criminal elements which give the authorities a clue about who to look for. Add in vigilant social media users to the mix, it is now more difficult for criminals to get away with their illegal activities.

While all these may be helpful, there are people who are concerned about the rising number of surveillance cameras being installed. One right every citizen is entitled to is the right to privacy and these people feel that this fundamental right is being breached. At this point, we must decide what price we are willing to pay in order to catch criminals and lower crime rates in our neighborhoods and cities. Are we willing to give up our privacy outside our own homes in order to do this?

CCTV Footage for Crime Prevention

Crime prevention is the main goal of CCTV cameras. Companies and homeowners who have these cameras installed often advertise the existence of these cameras to ward off criminal burglars. Aside from protecting themselves, installing these cameras can also have a positive impact in the community. Footage of criminal acts committed within the camera’s range can be used by law enforcement to identify and apprehend criminal elements plaguing a particular neighborhood or community.

There have been many cases of crimes being solved and the perpetrators apprehended with the help of CCTV cameras. With the help and cooperation of those companies and individuals who own the cameras, the police and other law enforcement professionals are able to do their job more efficiently. Eyewitness testimonies and alibi confirmations can be discredited, but camera footage does not lie. These cameras can prove whether a person suspected of a crime is being honest about his or her alibi or whether or not the suspect was anywhere near the crime scene or had interacted with the victim or anyone involved in the incident around the time the crime was committed.

Someone is Always Watching

If you’re the type who values your privacy so much that you don’t want to appear on any type of camera or video footage, then you might as well lock yourself up in your home. CCTV cameras are everywhere. If you’ve walked down a busy sidewalk and felt like someone is watching your every move, there probably is. That’s because CCTV cameras both visible and hidden are installed in almost every storefront or office building you pass by. While driving, traffic cameras can follow you to your destination. Your image is captured by a camera every time you make a withdrawal from an ATM, and your every move is recorded when you’re inside a shopping mall.

Some may view this as an invasion of privacy, while others see it as businesses and property owners exercising their rights to protect their homes and establishments. Whatever way you see it, one thing is for certain. Be warned. If you’re planning to do anything illegal, you’d better think twice because there may be a camera nearby.

(Images courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net)