Effectiveness of CCTV systems as a crime preventive tool: evidence from eight Polish cities

Based on data from eight Polish cities, we tested if closed-circuit television (CCTV) monitoring systems are effective in crime reduction and if the CCTV monitoring effects are durable. In a quasi-experimental method, we applied police data about four types of crime incidents in 2005–2014 as well as...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Matczak, Piotr (Author) ; Wójtowicz, Andrzej (Author) ; Dąbrowski, Adam (Author) ; Leitner, Michael (Author) ; Sypion-Dutkowska, Natalia (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2023
In: International journal of comparative and applied criminal justice
Year: 2023, Volume: 47, Issue: 1, Pages: 37-56
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
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Keywords:
Closed-circuit television
CCTV
Crime Reduction
Poland
Crime Prevention
Description
Summary:Based on data from eight Polish cities, we tested if closed-circuit television (CCTV) monitoring systems are effective in crime reduction and if the CCTV monitoring effects are durable. In a quasi-experimental method, we applied police data about four types of crime incidents in 2005–2014 as well as camera location. A preventive effect appeared in 10 of 17 of analysed paired treatment/comparison areas. The overall mean effect appears modest. In two of four cases, the preventive effects were durable. The analysis proves that CCTV cameras in the Polish cities had a crime reduction effect and the effect is sensitive for the category of crime. The influence of CCTV on the fall in crime in Poland is unlikely.
ISSN:2157-6475
DOI:10.1080/01924036.2021.1976237