CCTV and Crime Prevention Effectiveness: Experience of Hungary

This article examines the influence of CCTV on the realization of the person`s intention to commit a crime. The authors present the results of their own research which was conducted among Hungarian prison population (172 respondents) using a questionnaire method. The questionnaires were of a survey-type with a closed set of questions. The research sought to determine how offenders relate to CCTV, its role in crime prevention, and whether any differences in attitudes towards CCTV can be observed in terms of age and time spent in prison. In the course of the research, it was found that a significant negative correlation can be found between the time spent in a penitentiary institution and the fear of CCTV among those who spent more time in prison. Furthermore, it was also determined that the deterrent power of cameras is comparable to that of uniformed police officers. Research showed that CCTV’s effectiveness depends on factors such as camera placement, real-time monitoring, and integration with police patrols. While studies confirm reductions in certain crime types – particularly property crime and offenses in urban areas – other findings suggest CCTV primarily displaces crime geographically rather than preventing it. Offenders perceive cameras as deterrents in visible, well-monitored spaces, but this effect diminishes with sporadic deployment or inadequate implementation. This finding has significant criminological and national economic significance.