CCTV is now ubiquitous on construction sites across the nation as well as car parks, offices, retail stores and pretty much any other commercial site.
Since their invention all those years ago, the main purpose of CCTV has been surveillance, recording activity for future action, whether by the police or by the camera owner.
However, CCTV has a major psychological impact on criminals that often goes under the radar. It is impact that leads to a significant drop in criminal activity on any site where cameras are installed and is an effect that goes far beyond simply wanting to avoid being detained.
In this blog, we will examine the psychological impact of CCTV systems as a whole on the general public, as well as examining the effect in closer detail in relation to theft and vandalism within the construction industry in particular.
Construction site CCTV
A construction site camera system is a fantastic tool for any building site for a number of reasons.
Most people are aware of the benefits of CCTV I regards to observing criminal behaviour and tracking down the culprits but are less aware of the psychological impact that a cameras presence can have on most potential intruders and on staff themselves.
Here are just some of the psychological impacts of CCTV surveillance.
Increased sense of safety for staff
Installing CCTV will instantly improve staff safety on your site. The mental effect this has is just as big as the physical one, reassuring staff that they are safe on your site and allowing them to relax and focus on their work.
Knowing that you are taking care of their needs, this can often lead to a noticeable rise in staff retention, productivity and a more positive employer-employee partnership.
Deterring criminals
The main purpose of CCTV in the first place. Seeing CCTV cameras on your sight will send a shiver down the spine of potential criminals, triggering their flight instincts and stopping most crimes from happening in the first place.
Sure, if something does occur, CCTV is great for tracking down the culprit, be we usually find that our clients report a significant drop in criminal activity following installation and this can be put down to the psychological effectiveness of a CCTV tower.
Increased sense of difficulty
Most criminals are after an easy life, looking for any property where the reward on offer far outweighs the risk of getting it.
A CCTV tower tips this internal balance in your favour, telling passers-by that if they wish to steal or vandalise your property there is a very high risk that they will be caught red handed.
Wrongdoers might not realise it themselves but every time they pass a potential target they are weighing up the potential pros and cons and a CCTV tower is a pretty big tick in the cons column for them and in the pro column for you.
For more information on the benefits of a CCTV tower, get in touch with our expert team today.