Nowadays, particularly in populated towns and cities, you are likely to be captured on Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) every few seconds when moving around. In fact, in Denver alone, there are over 12,000 CCTV cameras in action.
These systems are put in place to protect the public from crime, and they often work well. However, CCTV technology is not infallible. If you’re facing criminal charges then it’s possible that CCTV footage has been produced as evidence. But what if this footage is not reliable?
Not all systems are high definition
Government buildings, police stations and banks tend to be covered by highly expensive and high-definition CCTV systems. What this means is that they can provide a fairly accurate picture of what is going on at all times. Smaller businesses, on the other hand, do not have the same resources at their disposal to purchase such equipment. Thus, their camera systems might be outdated and have low definition.
Some lower-end CCTV systems only capture pixelated images and still frames rather than high-definition video. This is important in terms of identifying a suspect. Low-quality footage may only be enough to provide a general description of a perpetrator, which could apply to thousands of individuals. Accurate identification of a suspect is one of the most pivotal parts of any criminal case. If you have not been identified beyond all reasonable doubt, then you should not face prosecution.
If there are questions regarding the accuracy of CCTV footage being used against you then it’s important to highlight this. Having legal guidance behind you will help to pick holes in the prosecution’s case.