CCTV is an acronym that stands for Closed Circuit Television. It is defined as the use of one or more cameras used for surveillance purposes. It was initially developed to increase bank security and has since spread to every corner of the security industry. Home security systems, businesses, corporations, organizations, and schools are several examples of locations that implement CCTV Security Systems.

When CCTV cameras first appeared in the public sphere, they were crude, low-definition cameras that only recorded in black and white. They were completely simple and lacked even the ability to pan or zoom. CCTV cameras today are smaller, sleeker, and far more technologically advanced than the cameras of yesterday.

They produce high quality, exceptionally sharp color images, and have motion sensors that track movement across an area. They can pick a person out of a crowd and lock on them, tracing their movements; they can run at night because of infrared technology. The possibilities are endless for CCTV, especially as the technology continues to develop.

Closed-circuit cameras are often used to discourage and deter crime. While they don’t necessarily eliminate crime, closed-circuit cameras do make it possible to identify events and suspects, making is easier to detect and prosecute those involved in a crime.

Another function that closed-circuit cameras serve is that of traffic monitors. Speed cameras are installed in various locations, taking a picture of your license plate and with the help of radar technology, recording your speed. In many cities in the US, you may receive a speeding ticket with a picture of your car and its clocked speed, or a picture of the exact moment you ran a red light.

They come in all shapes and sizes and can be installed anywhere, from your car and your handbag to police surveillance vans and taxis. They are ideal for purposes of security as they have the ability to recall events in real time at an accurate date and provide information that may lead to the detection and persecution of criminal activities.

Emerging technologies will make faster, quicker cameras that will be able to pick a face out of the crowd on command. They could be programmed to identify ‘criminal’ behavior by body movement that might signify a troublemaker, and zoom up on your face in an instant. Banks, hospitals, institutions that deal in large sums of money, government buildings, and schools are several areas of the public sector where closed-circuit television cameras work well. The CCTV System is moving towards a completely computerized monitoring system that will eventually replace the current need for a CCTV operator and become a fully automated system.