CCTV surveillance: reality versus myth
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The Queensland city of Ipswich has claimed that its CCTV surveillance systems have reduced crime in monitored areas by 75 per cent. But how does the Ipswich case compare to the costly and arguably less effective public safety cameras in the UK?
It's all about the human factor.
On Patch Monday this week, Stilgherrian speaks with Professor Brian Lovell from NICTA's Queensland Research Lab and discovers that while most face recognition systems are really toys, with the right planning a CCTV system can make a real difference. Not all camera installations are about fighting crime. There's also asset protection and traffic management, with the ability to gather video evidence an added bonus.
And with surveillance now moving from analog TV systems to high-definition video, we're at a cusp. Expect to see new surveillance applications in the coming years.
Patch Monday also has Stilgherrian's random look at the week's IT news, including an update on Microsoft's lawyer-based attack on the Waledac botnet.
To leave an audio comment for Patch Monday, Skype to stilgherrian, or phone Sydney 02 8011 3733.
Running time 25 minutes, 39 seconds