Surveillance can be a potent tool for protecting resources and assets. It can also be extremely invasive, calling into question our basic rights to freedom and privacy. This volume explores technological trends, past- and present-day rationales for surveillance and surveillance devices, and current social issues surrounding them. It begins with a historical perspective on the evolution of surveillance technologies, then charts the development of modern-day devices. Enhanced with numerous photos, the book presents the pros and cons and some of the controversy of these increasingly sophisticated technologies, their collective impact, and what the future may hold.