EFFECT OF CCTV SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS ON CRIME MANAGEMENT IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA
Abstract
Crime management remained a persistent challenge in Nairobi City County, with law enforcement agencies grappling with rising crime rates and inadequate technological integration. Despite the growing deployment of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance systems, their effect on crime management within the Kenyan urban context had not been systematically quantified. This study examined the effect of CCTV surveillance systems on crime management in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study was anchored on the Routine Activity Theory and Situational Crime Prevention Theory. A mixed-methods research design was adopted. The target population comprised approximately 800 law enforcement officers, surveillance system operators, technical personnel, and community representatives from Nairobi City County. Data were collected from 237 law enforcement personnel through questionnaires, 52 key informants through interviews, and 5 focus group discussion participants, yielding an overall response rate of 95.5 percent. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression through SPSS version 28, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. The findings established that CCTV surveillance systems had a moderate positive and significant effect on crime management (Mean=3.71, SD=.667). Respondents strongly agreed that CCTV footage was useful in criminal investigations (Mean=4.12) and that CCTV systems had improved evidence collection for prosecutions (Mean=4.05), while coverage adequacy was rated poorly (Mean=2.87), indicating persistent surveillance blind spots. Pearson correlation revealed a moderate, positive, and statistically significant relationship between CCTV surveillance and crime management (r=.547, p<.05). Simple linear regression confirmed that CCTV surveillance systems explained 29.9 percent of the variance in crime management outcomes (R2=.299, F=100.621, p<.05), with a regression coefficient of B=.463 (Beta=.547, t=10.031, p<.05). The null hypothesis was rejected. The study concluded that CCTV surveillance systems are effective in enhancing crime management in Nairobi City County, contributing to crime reduction, improved detection, deterrence of potential offenders, and strengthened evidentiary support for prosecutions. The study recommended strategic expansion of CCTV coverage across underserved areas and informal settlements, coupled with reliable power and connectivity infrastructure, to reduce surveillance blind spots currently exploited by criminal elements.
Keywords: CCTV Surveillance Systems, Crime Management, Digital Surveillance, Law Enforcement, Nairobi City County
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