Classifying Normal and Suspicious Behaviours When Accessing Public Locations

In order to identify and respond appropriately to suspicious behaviour in public locations, it can be important to understand the typical behaviours in a particular setting. An observation study has been carried out at two libraries to explore the entry behaviours as people approach card access barriers in these locations. Seven hours of video data have been collected over four observation periods. The recordings have been analysed by a researcher, using a behavioural framework that has been developed in previous research in a related study context. This framework was used as a prompt to look in more detail at a range of different aspects of behaviours that may be observable. The findings, including draft requirements for smart camera technologies to support security staff, were discussed in an interview with a security expert. The study identified common types of behaviour, with some differences evident when accessing the libraries alone or as part of a group. A number of interesting aspects of behaviour were observed on approach to, or at the point of interacting with, the access barrier for the buildings. These included observation of several behavioural cues that could be early indicators of anomalous behaviours that were in progress. The study has demonstrated the feasibility of adapting and using the behavioural framework to explore behaviours in new settings.