The use of CCTV is growing globally, based on the perception that it is an important instrument for preventing and reducing crime. A common belief is that CCTV, although more expensive, assists in investigations, arrests, and convictions and is an important tool for municipal safety and security strategies. For many, the utility of CCTV outweighs the importance of personal privacy.

This Urban Safety Brief tests the five main perceptions that drive the use of CCTV and provides recommendations for municipalities based on findings.

The Urban Safety Reference Group (USRG) is a platform for peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing among practitioners from the SACN participating cities as well as other key government role-players on urban safety and violence prevention. It is convened by the SACN with the support of the GIZ Inclusive Violence and Crime Prevention (VCP) Programme. The USRG Urban Safety Briefs are designed to distill the state of current knowledge on urban safety-related topics for a policy and planning audience.