ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE
Observing or listening to persons, places, or activ-
ities—usually in a secretive or unobtrusive man-
ner—with the aid of electronic devices such as
cameras, microphones, tape recorders, or wire
taps. The objective of electronic surveillance when
used in law enforcement is to gather evidence of a
crime or to accumulate intelligence about sus-
pected criminal activity. Corporations use elec-
tronic surveillance to maintain the security of
their buildings and grounds or to gather informa-
tion about competitors.
Electronic surveillance permeates almost
every aspect of life in the United States. In the
public sector, the president, Congress, judiciary,
military, and law enforcement all use some form
of this technology. In the private sector, business
competitors, convenience stores, shopping cen-
ters, apartment buildings, parking facilities, hos-
pitals, banks, employers, and spouses have
employed various methods of electronic eaves-
dropping. Litigation has even arisen from covert
surveillance of restrooms.
Three types of electronic surveillance are
most prevalent: WIRE TAPPING, bugging, and
videotaping. Wire tapping intercepts telephone
calls and telegraph messages by physically pene-
trating the wire circuitry. Someone must actu-
ally “tap” into telephone or telegraph wires to
accomplish this type of surveillance. Bugging is
accomplished without the aid of telephone
wires, usually by placing a small microphone or
other listening device in one location to trans-
mit conversations to a nearby receiver and
recorder. Video surveillance is performed by
conspicuous or hidden cameras that transmit
and record visual images that may be watched
simultaneously or reviewed later on tape.
Electronic eavesdropping serves several pur-
poses: (1) enhancement of security for persons
