[js8]

I doubt it, I am actually more inclined to think it's the other way around.

My own decision to intervene is mainly driven by my own feeling of safety. So if I am in an environment where is more people, or I perceive is better monitored, I will be more likely to help, because I am less worried to get into trouble.

[pbhjpbhj]

(I'm in the UK.)

I think there's an extra bystander effect if you know there is publicly monitored CCTV. "Why interfere and take a risk, the police know what's happening and will be on the way if it's serious".

If I see suspicious behaviour I might stop and watch, intending to intervene if necessary. If there's police nearby, then I'd point it out to them and carry on with my own business. If you think the police already know, then it seems reasonable one might carry on and ignore uncivil, unlawful, or antisocial behaviour.

There's a secondary effect, if you interfere and end up physically challenging someone then they might not even recall it a later time if they were drunk/drugged. But, if they see footage later, when sober, they might feel annoyed/angry that they were challenged and seek your prosecution.

[lkrubner]

“Stop and watch“ is still intervention. Twice I’ve broken up what seemed to be incipient fights by stopping and staring intently at the aggressor. Unless they are drunk, they don’t want to be observed. They will walk away if someone is staring at them.

[ggreer]

I've had the opposite happen. Someone tried to smash my head in with a cinder block because he thought I might take his picture.

He was never caught.

[pbhjpbhj]

This has worked for me to.

I think realising you're being observed can break one out of a cycle of escalation to. That's worked _on_ me as well.

[raxxorrax]

I don't think safety is the primary issue, since it often isn't applicable to most cases where help is needed. Even though we focus an absurd amount of efforts to increase it that can only be described as madness, it is astonishing how much people are willing to risk if they are put in a situation where someone needs help.

But there are effects like the bystander effect that reduce the probability of help the more people are around. I would think CCTV would act as a similar way for people to question their impulse to help because of their surroundings.

A conscious decision could also be made here since many developed countries have laws that make the act of helping more dangerous from a legal perspective. Oh, you call that a cardiac massage? You killed that poor guy... [exaggerating here]

Why take any responsibility if big brother is around?

I have no data, just suggesting that it may be interesting to test something like that.

edit disclaimer: I regard CCTV as tech garbage that provides no value if it is used to identify people. GB is no more safe than other comparable countries that don't have it.

[snvzz]

I'd rather not get involved, if a camera is watching.