Video surveillance as a cure for corruption.
Like any complex social phenomenon, corruption does not have a single canonical definition. However, when starting a serious conversation about it, one cannot avoid the question of what exactly is meant by the term «corruption».
Corruption (from the Latin corruptio — bribery), direct use by an official of his official position for the purpose of personal enrichment.
According to the most authoritative organization in the field of corruption, Transparency International, for 2006, Russia continues to be among the ten most corrupt countries in the world.
Experts believe that it is possible to minimize corruption by reducing the subjective human factor to a minimum and establishing widespread control over employees in places where it is impossible to completely eliminate human work.
Video surveillance is becoming widespread in combination with software that helps automate and optimize work. The most striking and widespread is the use of systems for traffic control.
Systems with the function of recognizing vehicle license plates are already successfully operating in a number of cities.
The main goal of such a system is to ensure the implementation of the amendment to the Code of Administrative Offenses, according to which video recording will be recognized as evidence of violation of traffic rules by drivers.
For a more detailed presentation, let's consider the operation of the video surveillance system based on the Ai-Parking hardware and software complex from the manufacturer of video surveillance systems Acumen.
Cameras for high-precision image capture, record the registration number of the car. The image is transmitted to the recognition server, which recognizes the registration number of the car and enters it into the archive.
When using the Ai-Parking complex, you can create a «black list» of wanted license plates.
When such plates are detected, the system will report an alarm. Recording the video image and subsequently entering it into the archive will deprive inspectors and drivers of the opportunity to «resolve the situation on the spot.»
Video surveillance systems are now being actively implemented on the roads of the Moscow region. However, unlike Moscow, where the systems will be installed on accident-prone sections of main highways, in the region the cameras will be installed mainly in patrol cars. Video surveillance on vehicles is implemented using the Ai-D147M car recorder with the ability to connect up to 4 cameras or the Ai-D187M for 8 channels.
The recorder supports the H.264 algorithm (MPEG4 — 10PART), hardware compression in real time, allows for the most efficient use of the provided memory capacity, while maintaining a high level of image quality.
The Acumen line of car recorders has wide remote access capabilities.
As practice shows, the use of remote access dramatically increases the responsibility of drivers and law enforcement officers with an invariably positive result. Through the remote access system, it is possible to view video in real time over the Internet. When using a GPRS modem, this access can be organized from any point along the route.
The video surveillance system can also be configured to periodically or trigger events by sending messages (e-mail) with images from cameras.
Such messages are small in size and can easily be transmitted via low-speed channels.
The CMS SERVER software is included with the car DVR. The abbreviation CMS stands for Content Management System, which literally means «content management system (or content)».
In the video surveillance system, this system is a computer program whose task is to ensure and organize an inseparable process of managing independent remote recorders on vehicles.
When switching to a recorder located in a car, the user gets full access (if there are appropriate access rights) to all equipment settings, work with the archive, alarm relays.
The Acumen car recorder allows 6 users to use the remote viewing function simultaneously.
When using CMS software, you can track the location of the object of observation.
In the program window, you see an expanded Google map with a dynamic icon showing the location of the vehicle.
Thus, it is possible to determine the coordinates of the transport, as well as determine the direction of movement. The management will always be aware of whether the service car is being used for its intended purpose, whether the patrol cars are following the specified route. At the same time, you can go to the remote recorder located in this vehicle and view live video from surveillance cameras.
When switching to the recorder, you get full access to all equipment settings, work with the archive, and the alarm relay.
On one computer of the monitoring center, you can simultaneously monitor an unlimited number of cars.
Video surveillance is successfully used to monitor state and federal employees not only on highways.
Every year, more and more government agencies are trying to install video surveillance in places where citizens are received, be it the police, the federal customs service or other government agencies. Standard Acumen video cameras with a wide dynamic range are installed in a number of customs services throughout Russia.
Modern legislation facilitates this, an amendment has been made that recordings from surveillance cameras can be used as evidence in the event of legal proceedings.
To summarize, it should be noted that the presence of video surveillance generally reduces the percentage of offenses. Sociologists who study the behavior of Europeans explain their law-abidingness as follows: a sense of justice and respect for one's neighbors is only the second reason why, for example, a German stops to let a pedestrian cross.
The first reason is the video camera that hangs above each traffic light and records everything that happens.
And if there are no violations, there is no reason for corrupt relationships to arise.