CCTV placement in Gaborone City, Botswana: A critical review through the lens of Situational Crime Prevention theory

Public surveillance technology through the installation of Closed-Circuit Television cameras (CCTV) has been widely acknowledged as a tool for monitoring population movements and preventing crime. Based on this technological value, the installation of CCTV cameras has become a growing trend in many cities globally. The year 2018 will be remembered as the year when CCTV cameras were first installed in the city of Gaborone, Botswana, and its surrounding villages for purposes of detecting criminal activities and preventing crime. The value of CCTV cameras in preventing crime and as an investigative tool has been an area of interest among researchers. Among scholarly studies on this field, the focus has been on the effectiveness of CCTV cameras in preventing crime and their value as an investigative tool. Since CCTV cameras have just been installed in the city of Gaborone, it may be too early to evaluate the extent to which they effectively prevent crime in this city. The purpose of this study is to document the use of public surveillance cameras in Gaborone and its surrounding areas and assess their geographic placement in light of the principles of Situational Crime Prevention (SCP) theory. Using data collected through site observation and key informant interviews, we argue for a rigorous review and assessment of the current installation and placement of CCTV cameras in Gaborone city and further scholarly study to measure and evaluate the effectiveness of CCTV camera use for crime prevention in this city