The home is no longer the safe enclave it used to be. Regardless of the type of neighbourhood, there are simply too many acts of criminality lurking in any contemporary setting.

There is of course the technological solution. As threats of thefts, break-ins and vandalism have escalated in recent years. So too has technology evolved into more sophisticated security tools. Take for instance the universal success of the CCTV camera which is not a mainstay on any street corner, store, office building, home and even cars. There is little data to suggest that the device has indeed reduced crime rates but there is viable evidence that it has helped in facilitating arrests and prevention.

The Camera, Safety and Other Issues

Of course, security cameras are nothing new in fact, the device has been around for as early as 1942, and has been in popular public in use since the 1960s. The great difference however is the availability. Whereas before, these gadgets were costly and limited to those with considerable income to bear the exorbitant price, today in Singapore for instance, CCTVs can be bought by an average family of individual. In UK, where 20% of all CCTV cameras in the world may be found, there is one security camera for every 32 persons.

And it is not purely due to security. In densely populated cities and highly developed urban centres such as Singapore, the security camera has become not just a typical security camcorder. It has become a literal entertainment utility providing real life and real time footages of accidents crimes and other news worthy moments. This has become even more so with the development of HD CCTVs, which are very cheap in Singapore, that provide more crisp and vivid pictures and resolutions compared to dark and blurred images of older models.

In small ways, this entertainment value is not simply a commercial but still has security dimensions. A number of researches show that people who witness real events in CCTV footages take more caution upon learning of an incidence. Which means CCTV video footages actually help make citizens not just vigilant but also more cautious. Of course, public airing of CCTV footages especially those with criminally-related contents also puts authorities on notice and help put pressure on security agencies such as local police.

Other Security Home and Office Security Gadgets

Given the enormity and complexity of crimes today, it is easy to be convinced that CCTVs and other forms of security camera may not be enough. Alarms, locks, early earning device, multiple screen monitors, laser and heat sensors are also among the more popular technologies available for office and home security. Most of these however comes with a hefty price tag and even in Singapore, are not exactly for the average home of office.

One often neglected security gadget however is the intercom. Of course, the intercom system in Singapore as perhaps elsewhere in the world is primarily used for efficient and faster communications specifically for productivity, urgency, timeliness of operations. Given these functions and functionality however, the intercom is a very viable security device especially for larger homes or firms. It can allow faster dissemination of warnings, distress calls, evacuation protocols, and other emergency notifications all throughout an establishment. Since it is easy to use and do not involve punching a series of number unlike the average telephone, it provides a more convenience emergency communication medium in emergency situations.