Research project PC/03 (Research action PC)
This research aims to confront private research and surveillance methods with the basic rights of citizens.
To date, scientific research has focused principally on developing an explanatory theory for the expansion and evolution of the private security market. Attention was paid essentially to private surveillance, and to a lesser extent to private investigation. Although the literature mentions dubious methods applied in the sector, there exists, to date, practically no research in this area. In the present research, we examine and analyse these methods, while developing a concept for adequate regulation in this area.
The research provides on one hand a picture of the methods applied in Belgium in the sector of private investigation and private surveillance, while analysing, on the other hand, Belgian case law and that of the European court in these matters.
On this basis and by means of a comparative analysis of law, we examine which points require regulation in our country, in order to protect the citizen faced with the methods applied by private polices.
