Showing posts with label letter from the editor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label letter from the editor. Show all posts
From the Editor
Welcome to Video Scene Magazine, Volume 3 There is a new video in the world of forensic video. It’s not what you’re thinking. It’s not a multiplexed VHS tape from the scene of the crime. It’s not a digital video that took three hours to recover from a DVR. It’s not even a cell phone video from a bystander who witnessed it all. It’s exactly what you wouldn’t expect. It is cool. A cool video about forensic video. All those CSI watchers out there know forensic video is cool, don’t you agree? And when you watch this video you feel like you are watching an episode of a TV show: the video stars Annie Wersching from FOX’s popular TV show 24. In fact it feels much like an episode of CSI until that is… reality sets in. Why reality? Because this video is aimed at clearing up some misconceptions about forensic video. The video, titled “Caught on Camera”, speaks mainly to those who own video surveillance systems -- such as business owners. It also gives lots of great advice to be used by installers of video surveillance systems and law enforcement. The video provides a little over 21 minutes of education on how video surveillance can provide information in the fight against crime. It covers topics such as video resolution, camera position, lighting, image detail, CCTV site plans, video formats, best practices for video evidence collection and much more. Who is behind this video? The FBI Forensic Audio, Video and Image Analysis Unit or FAVIAU to all you acronym junkies. With this video FAVIAU aims to help the community of forensic video and law enforcement. It’s well produced, comes from a respected source and it’s cool. The next time you’re online check it out. You can find the video on the FBI’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/FBIDOTGOV Or just search YouTube for “FBI caught on camera”.
From the Editor
Welcome to Video Scene Magazine, Volume 2
Recent economic conditions seem to be delivering a double blow to law enforcement: an increase in crime coupled with a decrease in budget resources to fight that crime.
According to an August, 2008 survey of 124 cities reported by the United States Conference of Mayors, more than 4 in 10 cities have seen an increase in crime as a result of our economic downturn. The report also points out the resource and budget battles that agencies are currently tackling.
It’s a catch-22 for law enforcement: catch more criminals without consuming more resources.
These conditions have heated up the hunt for cheaper and smarter ways to fight crime. Our question follows: does video offer a smarter more efficient way to catch criminals? There are a number of studies that examine the effectiveness of CCTV as used by municipalities. However, there exists no study to date on the effectiveness of video evidence regarding apprehension and prosecution of criminal suspects. One thing we do know is that the presence of video evidence is ever increasing. In part due to rise in shared and recorded video. Video seems to be everywhere - its on video surveillance DVRs, cell phones, PDAs, computers, the internet, home entertainment equipment, and many more. That’s why video is mentioned in 9 of 29 sections of the National Institute of Justice’s Special Report on Investigative Use of Technology: Devices, Tools and Techniques.
We’ve all heard video evidence success stories, whether from our peers or in the press. Video evidence has led to countless confessions and convictions. As reported in the Fresno Bee, a recent homicide investigation provides us with one positive outcome. A video surveillance system captured two individuals while shooting a young man. The suspects originally pleaded self-defense, but after being told about the video evidence, they confessed to the crime.
Video evidence certainly seems to be a good place to look to improve crime catching–from the idiots posting videos on the internet of themselves committing crimes to all the video from the rising number of video surveillance installations on public and private property.
But still the question remains: exactly how good is video evidence in the fight against crime?
This issue of our magazine provides several articles that give more insight into how video evidence is making out in the fight against crime. In addition, we’ve developed a survey that will give us all some additional insight. Please participate in the survey at VideoSceneMagazineSurvey.com. We’ll publish the results in our next issue. Let’s all learn something from each other. It may help us find ways to improve how we use video evidence to fight crime.
Recent economic conditions seem to be delivering a double blow to law enforcement: an increase in crime coupled with a decrease in budget resources to fight that crime.
According to an August, 2008 survey of 124 cities reported by the United States Conference of Mayors, more than 4 in 10 cities have seen an increase in crime as a result of our economic downturn. The report also points out the resource and budget battles that agencies are currently tackling.
It’s a catch-22 for law enforcement: catch more criminals without consuming more resources.
These conditions have heated up the hunt for cheaper and smarter ways to fight crime. Our question follows: does video offer a smarter more efficient way to catch criminals? There are a number of studies that examine the effectiveness of CCTV as used by municipalities. However, there exists no study to date on the effectiveness of video evidence regarding apprehension and prosecution of criminal suspects. One thing we do know is that the presence of video evidence is ever increasing. In part due to rise in shared and recorded video. Video seems to be everywhere - its on video surveillance DVRs, cell phones, PDAs, computers, the internet, home entertainment equipment, and many more. That’s why video is mentioned in 9 of 29 sections of the National Institute of Justice’s Special Report on Investigative Use of Technology: Devices, Tools and Techniques.
We’ve all heard video evidence success stories, whether from our peers or in the press. Video evidence has led to countless confessions and convictions. As reported in the Fresno Bee, a recent homicide investigation provides us with one positive outcome. A video surveillance system captured two individuals while shooting a young man. The suspects originally pleaded self-defense, but after being told about the video evidence, they confessed to the crime.
Video evidence certainly seems to be a good place to look to improve crime catching–from the idiots posting videos on the internet of themselves committing crimes to all the video from the rising number of video surveillance installations on public and private property.
But still the question remains: exactly how good is video evidence in the fight against crime?
This issue of our magazine provides several articles that give more insight into how video evidence is making out in the fight against crime. In addition, we’ve developed a survey that will give us all some additional insight. Please participate in the survey at VideoSceneMagazineSurvey.com. We’ll publish the results in our next issue. Let’s all learn something from each other. It may help us find ways to improve how we use video evidence to fight crime.
From the Editor
Welcome to Video Scene Magazine
Video catches criminal acts everyday. One recent example, told to us by a Detective...The victim said he was cashing a check at the gas station. According to his story, soon after he left he was robbed at gunpoint. He indicated the two that robbed him were watching him in the gas station. We recovered the video from the station, isolated the two suspects and put a picture from the video on the news. Within a couple days, by way of tips, we had one suspect identified _ warrants signed _ and for the other suspect we had a nickname. While sitting on an area frequented by the identified suspect, we saw both suspects, wearing the same coats as in the video. After a short foot chase they were apprehended and both were later indicted for Aggravated Robbery.
Real stories like this are happening all over our nation and the world. Video is becoming the new way to catch criminals, and there is a lot of it out there. More and more video surveillance systems are set up everyday. But where does that video go? That video surveillance is now turning into video evidence and being leveraged to secure facilities and businesses, catch criminals and protect our homeland.
Much video is being used to do just that, but, sadly, some does go unused. It may be that a police department doesn’t have the proper tools. Or that a security office doesn’t know there is readily accessible (and sometimes free) software available to do some simple processing of the video. The time has come to educate the community of people who want to utilize video as a tool for law enforcement. With more knowledge, you’ll see that it’s not a gargantuan task to succeed at this with little in the way of a learning curve.
Experts agree and disagree as they do. Best practices are debated and refined. That’s natural and healthy, and we encourage that. Our purpose is to let you know what is going on out there. How are people helping their communities with video? Video Scene is our way of sharing knowledge. We hope you enjoy it in the years to come.
Video catches criminal acts everyday. One recent example, told to us by a Detective...The victim said he was cashing a check at the gas station. According to his story, soon after he left he was robbed at gunpoint. He indicated the two that robbed him were watching him in the gas station. We recovered the video from the station, isolated the two suspects and put a picture from the video on the news. Within a couple days, by way of tips, we had one suspect identified _ warrants signed _ and for the other suspect we had a nickname. While sitting on an area frequented by the identified suspect, we saw both suspects, wearing the same coats as in the video. After a short foot chase they were apprehended and both were later indicted for Aggravated Robbery.
Real stories like this are happening all over our nation and the world. Video is becoming the new way to catch criminals, and there is a lot of it out there. More and more video surveillance systems are set up everyday. But where does that video go? That video surveillance is now turning into video evidence and being leveraged to secure facilities and businesses, catch criminals and protect our homeland.
Much video is being used to do just that, but, sadly, some does go unused. It may be that a police department doesn’t have the proper tools. Or that a security office doesn’t know there is readily accessible (and sometimes free) software available to do some simple processing of the video. The time has come to educate the community of people who want to utilize video as a tool for law enforcement. With more knowledge, you’ll see that it’s not a gargantuan task to succeed at this with little in the way of a learning curve.
Experts agree and disagree as they do. Best practices are debated and refined. That’s natural and healthy, and we encourage that. Our purpose is to let you know what is going on out there. How are people helping their communities with video? Video Scene is our way of sharing knowledge. We hope you enjoy it in the years to come.
