The security of a person’s possessions and the well being of one’s loved ones has always led to people using security guards from time immemorial. This need extended to organizations and establishments that had materials that required protection. While such guarding of property did lead to more secure conditions, it was still not enough to completely eliminate theft and unsafe conditions. This required credible documented information about actual culprits or people who may be inclined to commit theft. This has led to the development of surveillance systems which have become as common as security guards and guard dogs.
Different Types of Surveillance Systems
There are different types of surveillance systems that have been steadily developed and technologies have led to their being less intrusive and sometimes impossible to detect. One of the earliest of surveillance systems developed was in the communication field where it was possible to tap into telephone conversations to keep tabs on people. The advent of cell phones has further led to technology that can not only get details of the conversation but is able to pinpoint the location of the phone while obtaining further information on the numbers contacted, the time and duration of the call. Such details are largely available to alarm only authorized personnel like the police. In the same way radio devices have been developed that can listen into conversations, and some of them are so small that they can be fixed to laptops, toys and almost any place in a room.
Closed circuit television has fast become the accepted means of keeping surveillance in homes, offices and even public places, nowadays. Such CCTV surveillance systems are linked to computers that allow the system to automatically generate warnings for home alarm systems. Where social monitoring is concerned this CCTV can even be linked up to large databases that can identify people and objects. Police use them to detect traffic offenses among other things and even send warnings and summons to offenders.
Surveillance Systems To Protect From Fraud
The wide use of the internet for financial transactions has led to the need for some sort of surveillance systems to monitor these transactions to ensure that they are not fraudulent. This has led to banks and credit card companies setting up automatic warning systems to detect unauthorized use.
Entry into restricted areas especially those that have security implications has led to the development of biometric surveillance systems. These systems will compare the stored data that they have regarding the physical and other attributes of persons before they permit entry into restricted areas. Fingerprints, facial patterns, retina and irises are taken of authorized personnel and left in the surveillance systems to compare with whenever entry is sought into the establishment.
The wide use of surveillance systems has in a way impacted society and people are increasing feeling that they are being spied upon. This has however helped to reduce crime rate in some areas, especially in supermarkets which were very prone to shoplifting offenses. The evidence produced by such surveillance systems has now become acceptable in courts of law and has led to increased convictions without the need for other evidence.
