Policing, Surveillance and Social Control

This book reports the results of research carried out in a London police station on the role and impact of closed-circuit television (CCTV) in the management and surveillance of suspects - the most thorough example of the use of CCTV by the police in the world. Research methods involved the analysis of CCTV footage, analysis of suspect's backgrounds, and extensive interviews of both suspects and police officersThe research is situated in the context of concerns about the human rights implications of the use of CCTV, and challenges criminological and social theory in its conceptualisation of the role of the police, their governance and the use of CCTV. It raises key questions about both the future of policing and the treatment of suspects in custody.A key theme of this book is the need to move away from a narrow focus on the negative, intrusive face of surveillance: as this study demonstrates, CCTV has another 'face' shy; one that potentially watches and protects. Both 'faces' need to be examined and analysed simultaneously in order to understand the impact and implications of electronic surveillance.Key pointsthis book is about Big Brother and the police - presenting the results of research into a unique experiment carried out in a London police station which involved blanket CCTV coverage of suspects in custodythe authors situate their findings about this unique experiment in the context of the key questions it raises about human rights and privacy, the treatment of prisoners and suspects, the use of CCTV and the way in which the police operate

Stephanie Hayman is Research Officer at the PPRU, Goldsmiths College, currently researching in the field of penal policy.