Eyes to the city by Delhi government

After a long wait, Delhi government now started installing CCTVs all over the city. Being a major move towards the safety of women, the project expects reduction of crimes to a larger extent. According to the chief minister of Delhi Aravind Kejrival, a total of 2.80 lakh cameras will be installed across the city.

After the Nirmbhaya incident, Delhi came to the spotlight on women safety. According to the National Crime Records Bureau data, Delhi was reported as the most unsafe among 19 major cities, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of rapes , 33 per cent of crimes against women and the highest crime rate in 2016. As per police records, Delhi sees one murder, six robberies, as many rapes, nine molestations, 19 snatchings, 126 vehicle thefts and 17 fatal road accidents every day, besides the ever present threat of terrorist attacks. A total of 236,476 cases were registered in 2018, with an increase in the number of murders (3.25 per cent) and thefts (7.7 per cent), particularly of vehicles (12.98 per cent), even as street crimes such as robberies and snatching came down from the previous year. Delhi came in just two positions shy of being the worst state when it comes to safety of girls and women (Gender Vulnerability Index by NGO Plan India).

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) has become a mainstream crime prevention strategy around the world. According to some researchers, the camera surveillance systems in the UK discourage criminals and thus preventing crime. London has managed to bring down crime by 80 per cent by the use of CCTVs. Scholars have concluded that increased offender apprehension, increased natural surveillance, publicity, and improved citizen awareness are potential mechanisms of CCTV‐generated crime reduction. CCTV was associated with a 16% reduction in crime, which was a significant effect. This effect was driven by a 51% reduction in crime in the car park schemes, with CCTV in the other settings having small and nonsignificant effects on crime. Estimates from the United Kingdom suggest the presence of over 4.2 million cameras, a ratio of 1 per every 14 citizens. In the United States, 49% of local police departments report using CCTV, with usage increasing to 87% for agencies serving jurisdictions with populations of 250,000 or more. Philadelphia’s CCTV cameras generated a 13% reduction in overall crime, a 16% reduction in disorder, but no change in serious crime.

The findings of each area are shown below: 

City outskirts: Following its installation, recorded crime decreased by 28 per cent. 

Hawkeye

Vehicle crime saw a statistically significant 73 per cent decrease following camera installation. Car parks experienced different levels of crime and those with a high and medium level of risk of crime suffered statistically significant 80 per cent and 62 per cent decreases. The sharp decrease in crime demonstrated a deterrent effect. The police were also provided with evidence allowing them to arrest known offenders, showing that the system also worked by detection. 

City Hospital 

Crime rates were low before the implementation of CCTV, and a non-significant reduction in the overall level of crime after CCTV implementation was primarily caused by a reduction in vehicle crime. Although the cameras may have deterred vehicle crime, this reduction may also be attributed to other crime reduction measures. 

South City 

The number of public order incidents increased and this could be attributed to increased reporting of incidents by the control room. Although fear of crime reduced after CCTV was implemented, the findings suggested that this was not caused by the presence of cameras, but other crime reduction measures operating in the area. 

Shire Town

There was an overall decrease in recorded crime following the installation of CCTV, but these were non-significant and could be attributed to fluctuating crime trends experienced across the division as a whole.  

Market Town 

There was an overall increase in recorded crime following the installation of CCTV, but this could be attributed to random fluctuations experienced across the division as a whole. 

Borough Town

Following their installation, overall crime remained unchanged, and any change in individual offences was attributed to changing local crime trends and other initiatives operating in the area, one of which possibly caused displacement into the target area, thus increasing crime. 

Northern Estate 

Following their installation, overall crime showed a non-significant reduction, which could not be attributed to CCTV. However, there was a noticeable reduction in burglary, which was shown to have displaced into areas outside the cameras’ viewshed. Feelings of safety increased in comparison to the control area. 

Westcap Estate

There was a statistically significant reduction in worry about being a victim of crime. Although there was a high level of awareness of the cameras, the presence of cameras did little to reassure residents. A reduction in reported victimisation most likely accounted for the decrease in worry about crime. 

Eastcap Estate

Following their installation, overall crime levels increased in line with the control, although reductions in specific targeted offences, especially vehicle crime, suggest a deterrent effect. Fear of crime levels remained unchanged. 

Dual Estate 

Recorded crime reduced in the small residential area (Area A), which had a high level of camera coverage, and there was a high level of awareness of the cameras. However, small numbers of crimes were involved. Conversely, crime increased in the larger residential area (Area B), which had just six per cent of coverage. Hotspot coverage of the shopping parade saw a 49 per cent decrease in shoplifting in this area. Worry about being a victim of crime reduced in both areas, significantly so in Area B compared to the control area.

Southcap Estate 

Recorded crime saw an increase in the areas covered for the longest period. The overall increase consists of a rise in violence against the person, which can be accounted for by a change in Home Office counting rules. Worry about being a victim of crime reduced in the target area, but at a similar rate as the control area. 

Borough 

Recorded crime increased across the target, buffer and division area following the installation of CCTV. The scheme did not appear to achieve its aim of tackling sporadic crime hot spot areas, as crime increased in the target areas at a higher rate than the division. The presence of the cameras initially reassured local residents, but these positive effects reduced when youths realised the cameras were on auto-pan, thus were no longer deterred by their presence. 

Deploy Estate 

Taken as a whole, crime increased following its installation, accounted for largely by the increase in criminal damage in one part of the area covered. This could be attributed in part to a number of acts of vandalism against the cameras themselves. The proportion of individuals who worried about being a victim of crime was largely unchanged in both surveyed areas before and after CCTV installation. 

(This document is available only in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) through the RDS website http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds)