CCTV surveillance systems play an important role in fighting and preventing local and international crime. Besides fighting terrorism, CCTV security systems installed in public places or retail markets can deter crime, provide the police with leads, help citizens feel safer, and improve the economy of a crime-stricken area. Most CCTV systems have now gone digital for improved performance, surveillance camera manoeuvrability, and quicker feedback as compared to analog systems.

DVRs are capable of saving CCTV data to a PC for up to ten weeks of recording and some even feature motion detection technology, which means that the footage is only recorded when motion triggers the DVR system.