Welcome to 1996(1984)? Big Brother is watching you! George Orwell wrote a fictional novel called 1984 which everyone must have heard of.
In it the State takes complete control of the population and observes their every movement, anyone caught thinking or disagreeing with the State is immediately carted off and subjected to brainwashing in room 101.

OK, so this is maybe fiction and brainwashing may be something for spy movies and the various secret service agencies around the world! But have you noticed the ever increasing number of security cameras popping up all over the motorways, in city centres, next we will find them on our street corners! So why am I making such a fuss over a camera, it's to prevent crime isn't it? Is it ? That's certainly what we are led to believe and it brilliantly plays on people's ever increasing fear of crime.

But is crime really increasing ? I think that the figures are misleading and may represent the fact that more crimes are reported. We've lost a fair amount of taboos and stereotypes since the 50's and even the 70's, so certain crimes which would have gone unreported then are reported now. Also people's awareness of crime has been awakened with the increasing programmes such as Crime Watch and other real-life crime glorification programmes. These give the impression that crime is increasing and becoming more violent and the streets aren't safe. In the past there certainly has been violent crime: The Ripper, Hindley & Brady and even the recent West case initially started over 20 years ago.

The difference between now and then is that only VERY SERIOUS incidents that occurred (which may include a kind of serial killing or child abduction/murder) were latched onto and sensationalised by the British Media. In other words, where the public in general may be at risk. Now every domestic murder and bank job, which can't be solved by the police is plastered across our TV sets and newspapers.

So if as I suggest, crime is not any more prevalent now than say 10 years ago why are we seeing an ever increasing amount of these spy cameras ? On roads to catch speeding motorists, in city centres to catch thieves and burglars and drunken violence. But do they get caught ? A photographic image is at the end of they day only an image, we have seen from shops which have in-store cameras that they find it very hard to actually use their cameras to catch thieves. They still have to employ store detectives and security guards to attempt to prevent crime, because the cameras only act as a deterrent and as an easier method of describing a criminal than resorting to the inaccuracies of an eye-witness. But the professional thief, will always find a way around every device installed to prevent theft, so these cameras don't deter real crime only opportunists and small fry.

Nothing is infallible, as many a computer hacker has proved breaking complex codes and gaining access to anything from Bank accounts to Military Defence Computers. What programmes like Crime Watch or Crime Stoppers shows us, is that the majority of crimes are difficult to solve, in fact when they're on the TV it is usually the last resort by the police. In some cases they know who the person is, they have a clear as day mug-shot and still they can't locate this person - how can cameras work, when such information isn't even enough?

The reason for unsolved crime is the lack of governmental funding and therefore the lack of police to tackle the crime workloads. So lets say that these cameras are a waste of time and don't help in the slightest in the fight against crime, why are they there ? I suggest a variety of ideas. Firstly and rule number one, a government doesn't do anything without a reason. In fact, what ever comes as an overt agenda, like these CCTV cameras, I suggest that there will more than likely be some sort of covert agenda behind it.

Secondly, they've been brought in gradually which always seems to indicate that they don't wish people to notice them too much.
This slow introduction allows us to feel comfortable with these cameras. When human rights group made noises after they saw these cameras and their possible implications, we immediately see a massive fear based poster campaign. With posters advertising the cameras in an almost Big Brother scenario but with the onus being on criminals only. We also have TV debates praising this amazing move in crime prevention. We start having television programmes about motorway speeding and violence in the streets - with footage direct from these cameras. Not only are we now instilling real-life violence and car chases, usually found in fictional TV programmes and films, as prime time TV but what does this say to children who are watching it?

Going back to the idea of a covert agenda, there are several ideas that come to mind; Either this has the sole motivation of creating a Big Brother network, to keep an eye on criminals, subversives, illegal immigrants and anyone deemed to be a risk to national security or to allow greater observer control for the secret service, who could link up to all the cameras without the companies who run these cameras even knowing. Any Executive Action (a term used for the elimination of a person, such as a political leader or political activist) that needs to be carried out is far simpler when your target can be traced by a TV screen. Remember any thing that can be recorded can therefore be transmitted to any receiving equipment such as a pocket TV.

The other option is that it is all in aid of causing a national fear of crime, either to keep people in line and off the streets or to mask some other operation that they don't want anyone to know about. By keeping people off the streets it encourages them to remain at home in a growing state of agoraphobia. We may see future benefits such as income support and pensions paid by direct debit starting with pensioners who will be told that it is a move to ensure their safety and a move to reduce muggings, which helps in what seems to be a growing trend in the eradication of currency and cheques and a move towards the need for a credit/debit card(ID card??).
Credit cards and direct debit of course remove your right to control over your financial situation. By instilling fear, they psychologically create a passive society and one that will accept whatever propaganda they are fed. When we are all to scared to go outside and we have created our own caves/cages, we become like pre-historic man not frightened of the dark and animal predators, but in fear of criminals.

In effect we break down society and communication - our greatest assets which all governments fear: The right to think for yourself, The power of knowledge and the ability to pass that knowledge on to others. What this also does is reduce the number of people actually on the street, hence it is easier to identify them using CCTV and follow them on the national network.

OK, I know this all sounds extremely depressing, paranoid and pretty impossible to believe. But these are only my thoughts, I don't know the answers and I don't purport to, I'm only putting forward the topics for debate and awareness.
Things we just wouldn't believe, DO happen, Britain is extremely tight knit about any activities even pertaining to the second World War, the very fact that they keep so quiet and low key indicates that what they're doing is something we'd find extremely unpleasant and impossible to believe. Things are never quiet what they seem and we all have intellect and intuition which tells us when things aren't right. Go with your feelings and use your mind - it is your greatest weapon - and THINK FOR YOURSELF!