Crime Surveillance Technology: Soft and Hard Technologies in Law Enforcement

This article discusses the two types of technologies in law enforcement, soft and hard technologies, and their effects on crime-control and crime-prevention policies. It also explores the effectiveness of CCTV surveillance systems and the ethical challenges posed by their application.

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Crime Surveillance Technology
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Question 1
Key Characteristics and Examples of ‘Soft Technologies’ and ‘Hard Technologies’ in Law
Enforcement
As insecurity is increasing in the whole world day by day, countries are continuing to
come up with the ideas and technologies to prevent and manage crime activities both as
individual citizens or concerned groups (Marx, 2011). There are two types of technologies that
have come up that’s information based also known as soft technologies and material based also
known as hard technologies. Both innovations have brought massive radical changes in the
organization of crime prevention and control strategies (Ball, and Webster, 2013). The two
technologies are examined in terms of their effects and uses on both crime-control and crime-
prevention policies towards the victims and crime offenders.
Hard technologies innovations are the electronic devices that can be seen or touched
which can be employed to prevent, commit and regulate criminality. Technologies are
increasingly being put in place in day to day operations in security matter. CCTV cameras, metal
detectors, bullet proof windows, ignitions interlocks system with alcohol sensor devices to
prevent a drunk person from starting a motor vehicle, new police protective gear and patrol cars
are some of the examples of hard technologies innovations in crime preventions and control
(Marx, 2011). Hard technologies innovations are characterized by Knowledge of natural science
that is they can understand how human body works. Substance and physical world meaning that
they can see a human being or any other physical matter around (Gandy Jr, 2009). Hard
technologies can change and control the nature or substance. When new technology arises they
are found useless because they cannot be updated.

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Soft technologies include the strategic application of information to avoid and regulate
crime. It involves the developments of risk evaluation and threats evaluation instruments. Soft
technologies enhance the security operations like extrapolative policing technologies, recording
and video streaming abilities in police cars (Marx, 2011). Soft technologies inventions comprise of
classification systems, new software programs, data sharing, system integration techniques and
crime analysis techniques. Although soft and hard technologies attributes aim to exercise and
offer services for social transformation and economic developments are common, soft
technology develops categorically dissimilar model from hard technology. Soft technology is
associated to technological knowhow. They are non-perceptible features that includes the “know
how". The application of soft technology is needed to yield hard technology products (Haggerty,
and Ericson, 2010). The soft technology mission is to optimize the basic functioning of an
organization. Soft technologies target to create competent social crescendos within organizations.
Through the optimum utility of soft technologies, articulacy in human resource frameworks can
be established (Haggerty, and Ericson, 2010). It can as well be applied to all the productive
organizational processes. Through its application, short and long-term goals can be attained in
the implementation of plans that affect the public.
An example of a soft’ technology of surveillance is the Suspect Targeting Management
Plan program which detects and targets criminals, and those who have not been imprisoned of
offences but who police think are at risk of conducting potential crimes (Marx, 2011). An example
of hard technology surveillance is the use of circuit closed television (CCTV). Crime offenders
won’t commit crime in the area covered by the CCTV because they know they are already seen
and police will come for them.

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References
Ball, K. and Webster, F., 2013. The intensification of surveillance: Crime, terrorism and warfare
in the information era. Pluto Press.
Marx, J. B. a. G., 2011. Technological Innovations in Crime. 3 ed. Antwerpen: Maklu-Uitgevers.
Gandy Jr, O.H., 2009. The surveillance society: information technology and bureaucratic social
control. Journal of Communication, 39(3), pp.61-76.
Haggerty, K.D. and Ericson, R.V., 2010. The surveillant assemblage. The British journal of
sociology, 51(4), pp.605-622.

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Question 2
Effectiveness of CCTV Surveillance Systems
Crossed circuit television (CCTV) surveillance structures have made incredible
technological evolvement in the past few years but however it has found mixed results regarding
its effectiveness. (Lyon, D., et. al., 2012). As some institutions withdraw the use of CCTV,
others are expanding its coverage and upgrading to Intelligent CCTV (ICCTV). Specific
mechanisms need to be put in place in order for the CCTV to work effectively (Vacca, 2015).
CCTV need to be instigated with a clear stratagem that takes into the account crime problems
and identify the mechanism by which the system will solve the problems. CCTV should not be
installed as a stand-alone tool but needs to be incorporated with prevention measures and
operates alongside with the security agencies to create hasty responses to crime incidents and
effective use of the images captured for evidential purposes (Welsh, S., et. al., 2013). There are
three basic methods to use CCTV systems, as an interdicted device, as a deterrent, and for
forensic purposes.
CCTV surveillance systems originally were simply a restrictive device. The concept of
“big brother” was watching over kept crime offenders off. As video footage and technologies
have become more efficient, CCTV frameworks have developed into forensic tool by gathering
evidences after a crime incident occurrence (Nieto, 2017). CCTV systems have turned out to be
much easily incorporated with the watching devices, alarm systems and access regulation points.
CCTV cameras have extensive vibrant range that can resolve details when there is tremendous
amount of light and dark sections in the same scene (Westin, A., 2018). Intelligent video and
object recognition algorithms have helped the security personnel to identify and interrupt crimes

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as they are happening or even before they take place. All these factors have made the use of
CCTV systems as technology of surveillance effective and fulfill the objective that it is being
used for.
Privacy, Fairness and Ethical Challenges Posed by the application of CCTV Surveillance
Systems
As the application of CCTV surveillance systems increases in the most of the countries it
upsurges ambiguity for the ones under surveillance. Video surveillance in institutions poses
different concerns for the privacy of persons and develops a security-privacy dilemma for
institutions to handle (Marx, 2011). Organizations should clearly identify the purpose for using
CCTV systems, their security goals and objectives, communicate decisions drawn and actions
taken that involves the use of the CCTV in order decrease uncertainty and address privacy
concerns of the people (Vacca, 2015). There should be clear policymaking model that draws in
ethical access considerations, fairly, and transparency at four phases of video surveillance
application in an organization that is during of cameras and equipment deployment, processing
and storing data, capturing footage, and sharing video footage.
The use of CCTV as a surveillance system faces many challenges that includes.
Infringement on set guidelines on public monitoring (Westin, 2018). CCTV cameras and footage
are accessed and used by unauthorized people and inappropriately trained staff. Individual
pictures and videos that are not supposed to be shared can be shared. Targeting or discriminating
a particular individual or group. Different preferences are not respected. Privacy and rights of
individuals are not prioritized. CCTV surveillance is a multidimensional technology which

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results in an ethical quandary (Marx, 2011). It brings about an increase in security but at the same
time, it compromises on the privacy of public.
References
Lyon, D., Ball, K. and Haggerty, K.D. eds., 2012. Routledge handbook of surveillance studies.
Routledge.
Marx, J. B. a. G., 2011. Technological Innovations in Crime. 3 ed. Antwerpen: Maklu-Uitgevers.
Nieto, M., 2017. Public video surveillance: is it an effective crime prevention tool? (pp. 97-005).
Sacramento, CA: California Research Bureau, California State Library.
Vacca, J.R., 2015. Computer Forensics: Computer Crime Scene Investigation (Networking
Series) (Networking Series). Charles River Media, Inc.
Westin, A.F., 2018. Privacy and freedom. Washington and Lee Law Review, 25(1), p.166.
Welsh, S., Hassiotis, A., O'mahoney, G. and Deahl, M., 2013. Big brother is watching you--the
ethical implications of electronic surveillance measures in the elderly with dementia and in
adults with learning difficulties. Aging & mental health, 7(5), pp.372-375.