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This report reviews the results of an investigation into the effectiveness of public surveillance systems in Cherry Hill, Baltimore City, Maryland. Its chief objective is to discern whether CCTV cameras are a successful crime control measure, and whether their implementation displaced crime or generated a diffusion of benefits to the areas outside a camera's view shed. Previous research on the efficacy of CCTV leaves much to be desired, and the debate is still inconclusive. Thus, this study attempts to move toward new ways of analysing crime data gathered pre- and post- implementation of cameras in a given target area. To conduct this research, the investigation utilizes a combination of existing and new geographical information systems (GIS) spatial techniques to visualize and measure crime distribution, and uses LiDAR data to produce a precise mapping of a camera's line-of-sight. Findings from each analytical method are compared, contrasted, and combined to provide rounded results. These findings suggest that the implementation of GIS techniques in crime mapping have huge potential, and could provide innovative uses for CCTV within law enforcement crime control programs.
INTRODUCTION
Crime can be defined as a type of action that is considered wrong and punishable by society [1], although some have argued that the term "crime" does not have any basic or widely accepted definition [2]. Crimes of various types happen every day in the world, and each event occurs at an exact geographical location. Whether it be the victim's physical location, a cybercrime IP address, or a computer where data are stored, all crime has a connection to a place. Thus, with the study of crime, emerges the field of crime mapping. Crime mapping has applications to many fields, including law enforcement and geographic information systems. The technology used to map crime can also be employed to monitor, reduce, and/or displace criminal activities. One such example is the use of closed circuit television (CCTV). There are many different arguments and opinions as to whether CCTV cameras actually help to reduce crime, or whether they merely displace crime around the comer.
CCTV cameras are currently used in the United States and in other part of the world [3] with the intention of reducing criminal activity in large urban centers. The city of Baltimore has...