Discuss the Advantages and Disadvantages of Living in a Highly Surveillanced Society in Relation to Crime and Criminalisation.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of living in a highly surveillanced society in relation to crime and criminalization. By Suzanne Foster.
The use of surveillance has dramatically increased in the United Kingdom since 1994. Since this time surveillance has become an integral part of the government's crime prevention strategy. For example, the U.K uses more CCTV cameras per head of population than anywhere else in the world. It is estimated that five hundred thousand CCTV cameras operate within London; this means there is one camera for every fourteen people (McCahill and Norris, 2006). This paper will mainly focus on surveillance in the form of CCTV cameras. It will begin with a discussion of the advantages of living in a surveillance society, focusing on its impact on the detection and reduction of crime. This essay will go on to argue that although surveillance reduces crime in areas where it is present, it can displace crime to areas which are unprotected. This paper will then discuss the disadvantages of surveillance, focusing on privacy and individual liberty. It will then move on to discuss surveillance in relation to criminalization. The main argument will be that surveillance is being used as a type of informal social control which affects everyone in society including those perceived to be deviant. This paper will conclude that the state uses surveillance to enforce conformity at the expense of democratic rights; therefore the justifications for its continued use are questionable.
The use of surveillance is often justified on the basis that it reduces and controls crime (Armstrong and Norris 1998).Surveillance reduces crime through its ability to record crimes being committed. The recording of criminal activity prevents crimes from occurring, due to a fear of being caught (Armstrong and Norris, 1998).The use of surveillance can also lead to an increase in crime detection
The use of surveillance has dramatically increased in the United Kingdom since 1994. Since this time surveillance has become an integral part of the government's crime prevention strategy. For example, the U.K uses more CCTV cameras per head of population than anywhere else in the world. It is estimated that five hundred thousand CCTV cameras operate within London; this means there is one camera for every fourteen people (McCahill and Norris, 2006). This paper will mainly focus on surveillance in the form of CCTV cameras. It will begin with a discussion of the advantages of living in a surveillance society, focusing on its impact on the detection and reduction of crime. This essay will go on to argue that although surveillance reduces crime in areas where it is present, it can displace crime to areas which are unprotected. This paper will then discuss the disadvantages of surveillance, focusing on privacy and individual liberty. It will then move on to discuss surveillance in relation to criminalization. The main argument will be that surveillance is being used as a type of informal social control which affects everyone in society including those perceived to be deviant. This paper will conclude that the state uses surveillance to enforce conformity at the expense of democratic rights; therefore the justifications for its continued use are questionable.
The use of surveillance is often justified on the basis that it reduces and controls crime (Armstrong and Norris 1998).Surveillance reduces crime through its ability to record crimes being committed. The recording of criminal activity prevents crimes from occurring, due to a fear of being caught (Armstrong and Norris, 1998).The use of surveillance can also lead to an increase in crime detection