Objective and Mission
- Review the actual effectiveness of surveillance systems and procedures used in Europe in preventing / reducing crime; and in tracking evidence for improved prosecutions of crimes and acts of terrorism.
- Identify and examine the social and economic costs involved in the adoption and implementation of identified surveillance systems and procedures.
- Determine the legal basis adopted for these systems and procedures, identifying best practices that have evolved from the legal basis and lacunae that may exist.
- Explore European citizen’s awareness/acceptance of surveillance systems and procedures based on attitudes to efficiency, economic and social costs.
- Identify the possible effect of cultural influences on citizens’ acceptance of surveillance systems and procedures.
- Compare and/or further develop findings on these systems, procedures and attitudes with findings found in the FP7 CONSENT and SMART projects.
- Establish best-practice criteria developed on the basis of operational, economic, social and legal efficiency and citizen perceptions.
- Develop a tool-kit capable of pan-European application (and even beyond). This would be composed of three main items:
- a matrix-style checklist incorporating operational/technical- economics- social factors – legal aspects which could be utilised as a decision-support tool for policy-makers assessing systems specifically designed for surveillance;
- system design guidelines and
- model force-level regulations which can be adopted by a police force for the deployment of Surveillance systems including large-scale integrated systems. The matrix, design guidelines and regulations balance citizens’ privacy and security concerns.