Police-Monitored CCTV Cameras in Newark, N.J.
Effectiveness

No Effect

.

.

.

.

.

No Effect

Want to know more about this classification? Check out our methodological manual.

Life periods served
Where the program was applied
Country of application
Description

This is a program for the installation of video surveillance cameras monitored in real time by operators. The main objective is to reduce property and personal crimes on high-crime streets.
The particular purpose of timely, real-time monitoring is to help reduce police response times and increase the chances of apprehending an offender. The targeting of the intervention was carried out under parameters of high crime incidence on streets and in public areas. Several types of cameras were installed, some with high visibility and others with low visibility.

Impact evaluations

A quasi-experimental impact evaluation found no statistically significant differences in shootings, vehicle thefts, or vehicle burglaries [1].
The results of a second quasi-experimental study showed a statistically significant decrease in vehicle thefts, but no difference in shootings or robberies and violent crime [2].

Bibliographic reference

[1] Caplan, J. M., Kennedy, L. W. & Petrossian, G. (2011). Police-monitored CCTV cameras in Newark, NJ: A quasi-experimental test of crime deterrence. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 7(3), 255–274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-011-9125-9

[2] Piza, E. L. (2016). The crime prevention effect of CCTV in public places: A propensity score analysis. Journal of Crime and Justice, 41(1), 14–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/0735648X.2016.1226931

Information source