Lecture 8 Worksheet

1. Discuss why media technology has been embraced as a solution for various criminal
justice system tasks while some police officers oppose the installation of cameras in
their patrol cars or on their person.
Media technology is used by criminals to commit more sophisticated crimes, on other
hand law enforcement officers and those in the criminal justice system are increasingly
depended upon media technology to combat those crimes. Media technology such as
surveillance has been embraced as a solution for various criminal justice system tasks
because it is used for monitoring, detecting, storing, recording, reviewing of moving
images and positioning purposes. Today, law enforcement can use media technology
such as CCTV to detect and solve criminal activity happening in the moment. Instead of
reacting, these CCTV cameras allow law enforcement to be more proactive and prevent
crime.
Relevant to that some police officers oppose the installation of cameras in their patrol
cars or on their person because there are concerns raised against the increased
surveillance of CCTV cameras which predominantly include privacy concern because it
unnecessarily exposes personal activities of people’s life. Another concern is legitimacy
I-e control of power in democracies and impact on civil rights. The power elite control
when and how they should shurveilled whereas the poor or power less people do not have
this opportunity. Police also show resistance against the installation of cameras in their
petrol cars because they perceive the cameras as an administrative tool installed to have a
check on them rather to perform law enforcement duties.

2. Discuss who should have access to the records and images produced by a
government agency surveillance system and whether surveillance video should be
released to news agencies, used in civil cases, or employed in infotainment
programming.
Law enforcement agencies such as police have access to computer analyzed, real time,
media augmented surveillance data to solve the crimes. On another hand, surveillance
video can also be used in civil cases if an agency receives a subpoena or other court order
to produce CCTV footage. In these circumstances, the agency must generally comply
with the subpoena or court order. This will not breach the relevant privacy laws as it is a
disclosure that is required or authorised by law. Also the use of the surveillance images
are allowed in infotainment content and news and the images that results contribute to the
total portrait of crime and justice that the public holds.

3. Discuss where and when surveillance cameras are acceptable and if it should matter
if they are hidden or openly displayed. Discuss the phenomenon of a surveillance
effect and whether people should be informed that they are within the view of a
surveillance system.
If it should openly displayed than it would more acceptable as compared to hidden which
will violate privacy rights of an individual. In this connection, we should have
surveillance cameras in public places because they ensure public safety. Rarely will
 anyone attempt to harm you when they know their actions are being recorded on camera.
Surveillance cameras keep you and your personal property safe. The police can identify
criminals recorded with cameras. Through surveillance cameras, the police can both
prevent crimes from happening and can quickly solve criminal cases with material
evidence.
Surveillance effect is the psychological effect of fearing that you might be under
observation Surveillance programs have expanded the traditional police use of the
stakeout and hidden camera to encompass general public space applications.
I think people should not be informed whether they are in the view of surveillance
system, because these are openly installed to ensure the safety of public and have a check
on the criminals. If criminals already knows that there is CCTV camera installed why
they will reveal their activities and why they will carry out their plans.

4. After noting the location and number of surveillance cameras seen over a 24-hour
period, discuss what entities (government, business, or private) were operating the
camera systems, whether the boundary of the surveilled areas could be determined,
whether there were signs announcing the presence of the surveillance cameras, and
whether the cameras were difficult or easy to spot. Discuss how individuals feel
about being under involuntary surveillance.
Law Enforcement entities were operating the camera system. However, there are many
camera system and boundry of surveilled areas could be hardly determined.

5. Discuss a recent anticrime PSA in terms of its target audience, the problem its
addresses, its use of fear, the behaviors it strives to encourage or discourage, and
how effective it is perceived as.

A recent anticrime PSA first group aimed at offenders’ employs adds to discourage
people from involvement in crime. A second group of PSAs, are aimed at citizens to
prevent the crime from happening with the goal of crime reduction and prevention. The
third set of PSAs is designed to increase arrest rates and crime clearance by encouraging
witness cooperation with law enforcement investigations.

Here are a couple of links regarding local surveillance camera programs in the lower
mainland:

https://vancouversun.com/news/crime/rise-of-private-surveillance-cameras-point-to-
legal-limbo

https://www.surrey.ca/about-surrey/community-safety/project-iris