CCTV. WILL WE BE SAFER?
It was a truly extraordinary sight on Sunday as some 30,000 people walked in silence in Brunswick, Melbourne, on past the bridal shop where the ABC’s Jill Meagher was last seen alive on CCTV footage.
The words of gratitude from Ms Meagher’s mother, Edith McKeon to the crowd and to the owners of the bridal shop brought more than a few tears to my eyes, and no doubt yours.
Jill Meagher’s mother, Edith McKeon outside the Brunswick store where CCTV footage captured Jill’s last movements.
“Just thank you, simply thank you. I hope they put more cameras in here to keep people safe,” Edith McKeon said through her grief at the rape and murder of her young daughter.
There is no doubt that the bridal shop’s CCTV camera which captured the last image of Jill Meagher alive, speaking to a man who is alleged to be her killer, was a turning point in the police investigation which ultimately led to an arrest and to Jill Meagher’s body.
If there is a conviction, it could be argued that people may be safer in the future as a result of the CCTV camera having captured that image.
But is having more surveillance in public spaces too big a price to pay for our safety? And will it even increase our safety?
There are already thousands of council and state government installed CCTV cameras in cities and towns across Australia watching people in public places, keeping check on anti social behaviour.
In the UK, there are near to 5 million cameras in public spaces and on private premises. Britons have by and large accepted the cameras as part of their daily lives on the basis, often argued by governments wanting them installed that “if you are doing nothing wrong, you have nothing to hide.”
The Victorian Premier Ted Ballieau also likes that logic. He’s ordered an audit of CCTV cameras throughout Melbourne city centre and suburbs to make sure that dangerous spots especially near public transport hubs and nightclubs are covered.
In opposition Mr Bailleau pledged a mass roll out of the cameras both in private businesses and in council monitored areas. Presumably in government, other matters took precedence. In any event, in the wake of Jill Meagher’s tragic death, the Victorian government is now talking about committing $3 million to local councils to get the roll out moving. And, says the Premier the public have embraced the idea.
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23 Responses to this article
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Janet October 2, 2012
In some ways CCTV cameras are good because they allow a court to determine the accuracy of statements made by witnesses, accused and victims. However, they really only help in the solving of crime, I do not believe that they have helped reduce crime in any way. For Jill the CCTV camera did not make a difference.
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Lilly October 2, 2012
I believe if we look at the bigger picture it will make us safer. Simply because the footage will be used as evidence to convict people and hopefully the criminals will be off the streets (if the justice system works as it should). The rapist of someone close to me would never have been couaght if it wasn’t for CCTV footage. Perhaps without it he would have gone on to hurt someone else.
I have no issues about how many cameras they put up in public if it can same anyone from becoming the victims of crime or being exonerated for alleged crime.
I guess like everything else it comes down to police resources. They can only do so much with the nubers they have.
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Monica October 2, 2012
A lot of the academic research highlights that CCTV is great to help law enforcement catch people AFTER the crime. So in that sense they do not keep us safe from crime other than in hopefully and perhaps deterring criminals from doing their thing.
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dramaqueen75 October 2, 2012
I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if there was no CCTV footage of the suspicious man in the Jill Meagher case. Would her husband and family ever have known what happened to her? Would she have become a missing person statistic? Would her attacker have been able to rape and murder others before finally being apprehended?
Yes, there are issues about privacy but heck, I feel safer in public places and lonely elevators when i know there is CCTV recording going on
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the*sparrow October 2, 2012
Just about to post read I when I read your comment dramaqueen75, I agree with you completely.
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Monica October 2, 2012
And I think thats the big plus to CCTV’s. They make us “feel” safer.
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JL October 2, 2012
Sadly Monica : the answer is no.
Who was the journalist who coined the term ‘future shock’?
Future shock was a term to describe today’s feelings : that somehow all buildings would be built one day-all potholes filled-all crimes solved etc etc and so on.
CCTV cameras helped solve the crime but they will not prevent it.
That said- I am proud of the Melburnians who demonstrated solidarity in that march. What does it all mean ?
I do not know.-
Ella October 3, 2012
Well put JL, CCTV may help solve a crime, but unless attitudes in the community change, it will not stop them.
As an example, this week after the Grand Final – the Bulldogs have been up to their old tricks, with totally unacceptable bahaviour towards female reporters.
Unless men get that their behaviour is unacceptable, violence in our community will continue, CCTV or not.
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Tania October 3, 2012
@Janet – the camera did not save Jill, but this is the first high profile case of its type (that I am aware of) I don’t think the accused had any idea that he was caught on CCTV by the bridal shop… He must have known his number was up the second that CCTV footage was released to the media. I hope this case does make a difference to potential criminals.. That while they might not be able to see anyone else on the street, they don’t know if they are being caught on camera somewhere.
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Glenis October 3, 2012
CCTV is great and helps us feel safter but there are a lot of evil people out there who will still do awful things……a fact of life unfortunately.
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Aeron Winters October 3, 2012
I don’t think more CCTV is the answer. It didn’t keep Jill safe did it? It may (or not) have lead to the capture of her killer, but it certainly didn’t keep her safe. CCTV only works if someone is watching it live and is able to respond quickly enough to someone in trouble. Otherwise, it is just an invasion of privacy. I think more visible policing or other security personnel is a better solution.
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Airdre October 3, 2012
I can see the logic behind wanting more CCTV, but i am wary of increasing surveillance of our ordinary business. I know things start out well I simply don’t trust that they necessarily are eventually used well. My distrust of where all this technological intervention in our lives is leading us I suppose.
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Caroline B October 3, 2012
I used to work for a company contracted to NSW police & am aware of how public & private CCTV footage has provided crucial evidence in solving crimes in v similar way to Jill Meagher case.
It’s not a case of people being watched all the time (most of this footage is unmonitored & only accessed after a serious incident), but having more CCTV footage available to police will enable them to solve more crime & more quickly as they can piece together events leading up to & following a crime, or even footage of the crime being committed.
I’m definitely not in favour of a police state & totally understand why people might be concerned with having more cameras around, but bearing in mind Jill Meagher’s case & many others like it that may never have been solved, or made more difficult to prove & therefore having those creeps still walking the streets free to attack again, I personally feel that the trade-off is worth it..
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Min B October 3, 2012
CCTV footage would provide useful evidence in proving innocence or guilt, but it is only a tool to assist the law. Surely something like “White Ribbon Day”should be pumped up to bring awareness to everyone that this sort behaviour is not part of a civilised society. Lets see more of our leaders in all states, speaking up- both male and female.
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ellenni October 9, 2012
as i have no intention of doing anything for which i may be arrested i dont give a rats about more camera’s.
if you have privacy issues dont go out. when you are in public anyone with a mobile phone can capture your image.
so if having camera’s saves just one life bring em on.-
Jenny October 9, 2012
I’m with you ellenni – I’ve got nothing to hide – and I hope it’ll stop idiots walking around with the mindset that they are entitled to bash, punch, thieve and yes, kidnap anyone they feel like, maybe the awareness that they’re on camera might factor into their befuddled minds.
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hanna kabalan October 9, 2012
will it make the world safer
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Tony W October 18, 2012
Did anyone here notice Abbott’s attempt to make political capital out of Jill Meagher’s murder? He flew down to Melbourne after the murderer’s capture and announced on TV with much fanfare:
“The Coalition has long been a big supporter of increased CCTV coverage. In fact, going into the 2007 election the then Howard Government promised some $360,000 to install CCTVs…..So, today I commit the Coalition to $50 million over four years toward safer communities, particularly towards more CCTV coverage….The $50 million over four years will come from the proceeds of crime fund, which the current Government has frozen and committed to improving the budget bottom line. Now, I am all in favour of improving the budget bottom line but you don’t improve the budget bottom line at the expense of Australian families; you don’t improve the budget bottom line by allowing crime to flourish.
In other words it’s all Labor’s fault.
full transcript here: http://www.liberal.org.au/latest-news/2012/10/08/tony-abbott-transcript-joint-doorstop-interview
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Tony W October 19, 2012
Yes, more CCTV cameras please. We need them to catch pigs who taser innocent people to death.
