Citing the popularity and success of closed-circuit television cameras that have been installed in many public places for crime-fighting purposes, politicians in the UK are considering attaching microphones and even loudspeakers to these cameras.
"But Information Commissioner Richard Thomas said Home Office research had indicated there were 'still doubts as to the efficacy' of CCTV, both in terms of preventing and detecting crime."
"Both argued people should know where CCTV cameras were - possibly by way of a website map - and expressed alarm about the potential for tiny cameras to be 'buried' in lampposts."
"But the committee pointed out that CCTV was very popular with the public, which often called for its installation."
"There are up to 4.2m CCTV cameras in Britain - about one for every 14 people - and the UK also holds 3.6 million DNA samples, which is the world's biggest database."
FULL STORY: Warning over 'talking CCTV' plans
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Placer County
Mayors' Institute on City Design
City of Sunnyvale
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Cornell University's College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP), the Department of City and Regional Planning (CRP)
Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
City of Portland, ME
Baton Rouge Area Foundation