Surveillance cameras reduce vandalism at Tampere school
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The 100-year-old doors of the Tampere Classical School open, and pupils begin to flow in. The faces on the CCTV screen are familiar to the headmaster; a stranger would stand out.
The numerous security cameras around the school see to it that there are very few blind spots.
Surveillance cameras are in use in nearly half of schools in Tampere. In other parts of Finland CCTV is less common; in Helsinki they have been installed only in a few locations, and in Turku, security is monitored only from outside.
"Schools have asked about it quite a bit, but fitting a medium-sized school with a surveillance system costs about EUR 10,000", says Lars Viren, an education planner for the City of Turku.
Tampere went for camera surveillance already in the mid-1990s. The first cameras were set up in the schools of the centre of the city, and now they are being installed in all new schools, as well as old ones that are undergoing repairs. This year they have been introduced in about 20 schools.
Officials say that installing cameras generally leads to a sharp reduction in vandalism.
Privacy issues are an important consideration. Signs are posted informing everyone that CCTV cameras are in use, and the surveillance tapes are kept behind lock and key, and only a limited number of people have access to them.
The Tampere Classical School got its surveillance system a year ago. Pupils had been complaining of missing coats and backpacks. Sometimes honest mistakes were involved.
During the year that the system has been in use, the tape has been watched only on rare occasions.
"When things get lost, the camera naturally makes it easier to find them", says teacher Pia Heinikainen.
Pupils are generally happy with the increased security that the cameras bring.
Rules concerning camera surveillance at schools are the same as at workplaces.
The cameras can be used to prevent loss or damage to property and to increase security. However, they must not be installed in toilets or dressing rooms.
"In that respect, the cameras do prevent school bullying, for instance", notes Heidi Peltonen of the Finnish National Board of Education.
The numerous security cameras around the school see to it that there are very few blind spots.
Surveillance cameras are in use in nearly half of schools in Tampere. In other parts of Finland CCTV is less common; in Helsinki they have been installed only in a few locations, and in Turku, security is monitored only from outside.
"Schools have asked about it quite a bit, but fitting a medium-sized school with a surveillance system costs about EUR 10,000", says Lars Viren, an education planner for the City of Turku.
Tampere went for camera surveillance already in the mid-1990s. The first cameras were set up in the schools of the centre of the city, and now they are being installed in all new schools, as well as old ones that are undergoing repairs. This year they have been introduced in about 20 schools.
Officials say that installing cameras generally leads to a sharp reduction in vandalism.
Privacy issues are an important consideration. Signs are posted informing everyone that CCTV cameras are in use, and the surveillance tapes are kept behind lock and key, and only a limited number of people have access to them.
The Tampere Classical School got its surveillance system a year ago. Pupils had been complaining of missing coats and backpacks. Sometimes honest mistakes were involved.
During the year that the system has been in use, the tape has been watched only on rare occasions.
"When things get lost, the camera naturally makes it easier to find them", says teacher Pia Heinikainen.
Pupils are generally happy with the increased security that the cameras bring.
Rules concerning camera surveillance at schools are the same as at workplaces.
The cameras can be used to prevent loss or damage to property and to increase security. However, they must not be installed in toilets or dressing rooms.
"In that respect, the cameras do prevent school bullying, for instance", notes Heidi Peltonen of the Finnish National Board of Education.
Helsingin Sanomat