Panopticism
Summary
Police in Singapore have been asked to increase CCTV coverage, patrols, and drone surveillance in Upper Thomson following two recent residential break-ins along Taman Permata and Marigold Drive, where suspects entered homes without permission and left before officers arrived. Investigations are ongoing, and efforts to identify the suspects are underway. Authorities were also alerted to a suspicious person in the Soo Chow View area, who departed before police arrived. In response, residents have formed community watch groups, while police have stepped up their presence and urged the public to remain vigilant, report suspicious activity, and share information through official hotlines.
Application
These enhanced surveillance measures evoke the concept of the panopticon, first proposed by philosopher Jeremy Bentham as a prison design in which inmates could be observed at any time without knowing when they were being watched. The power of the panopticon lies not in constant observation, but in the perception of possible observation. When individuals believe they may be monitored, they are more likely to regulate their own behaviour. In a modern context, the installation of CCTV cameras, drone patrols, and visible police presence functions in a similar way. The awareness of surveillance creates a psychological deterrent, discouraging would-be offenders by making the risk of detection feel immediate and unavoidable.