The Government is insisting that closed-circuit television cameras do help cut crime, despite new research suggesting they are far less effective than good street lighting.
A report by the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (Nacro) said the Home Office's own research cast doubt on CCTV's ability to cut crime.
Rachel Armitage, of Nacro's crime and social policy unit, said: "It would be foolish to claim that well-planned CCTV can never have an impact, but the effectiveness of CCTV is often overstated.
"This places a big responsibility on councils and others to think through the implementation of CCTV and ensure that is not favoured in place of cheaper and more effective measures such as adequate street lighting."