CCTV as “not neally a panacea" for tackling urban insecurity and possible ways to improve its performance

Evidence from Budapest and Milan

Abstract

The paper bases its research on the contradictions between the construction of video surveillance as a tool of crime control and the improvement of subjective security and empirical evidence, showing, at best, a limited technology capacity to achieve these goals. The study examines empirical evidence from two different European cities, Budapest and Milan, to investigate how the effectiveness of video surveillance is constructed there and what ways to improve it are suggested. The research suggests that proper management of surveillance systems, systematic and repeated study of the territory, and sustainable communication from local authorities and law enforcement are major actions that need to be undertaken for video surveillance to achieve desired outcomes. Nonetheless, contextual factors may also play a role in these findings.