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Spy cameras fail to focus on street crime
The Washington Times ^ | August 13, 2006 | Matthew Cella

Posted on 08/13/2006 7:47:20 AM PDT by JTN

Surveillance cameras like those authorized by the D.C. Council for police investigations and now being put in place have shown limited success in decreasing violent crime in other cities.

Baltimore, for example, set up about 80 cameras in May 2005 in high-crime neighborhoods. Volunteers and retired law-enforcement personnel monitor the images in real time, but the cameras have not helped put criminals behind bars.

"Generally, the State's Attorney's Office has not found them to be a useful tool to prosecutors," office spokeswoman Margaret Burns said. "They're good for circumstantial evidence, but it definitely isn't evidence we find useful to convict somebody of a crime."

(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 1984; bigbrother; dc; govwatch; leo; photoradar; spycameras; surveillance

1 posted on 08/13/2006 7:47:21 AM PDT by JTN
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To: freepatriot32

Ping


2 posted on 08/13/2006 7:47:39 AM PDT by JTN ("I came here to kick ass and chew bubble gum. And I'm all out of bubble gum.")
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To: JTN

Maybe be real police officers, with geniune guns, handcuffs, and billy clubs, are what is needed?


3 posted on 08/13/2006 7:49:13 AM PDT by proxy_user
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To: JTN

Did they ever think that criminals are well aware of the location of these cameras? I am sure most good shoplifters are.


4 posted on 08/13/2006 7:49:19 AM PDT by montag813
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To: JTN

I've seen these cameras in Baltimore, they have a flashing blue light on top to attract attention. It's not a matter of catching people, it's trying to scare people into not committing crime. So pathetic it's funny to me.


5 posted on 08/13/2006 7:53:59 AM PDT by Vision (“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me" Philippians 3:14)
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To: montag813
I am sure most good shoplifters are.

Used to own a CCTV company and cameras in stores are to watch employees and record robberies. Shoplifters caught are just a bonus.

6 posted on 08/13/2006 7:56:09 AM PDT by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)
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To: JTN

I am completely against the idea of the government keeping tabs on its citizens with cameras. If you want to deter crime, make the punishment stiff enough, and make it stick.


7 posted on 08/13/2006 8:03:30 AM PDT by SALChamps03
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To: JTN

Those who advocate the expansion of government power are rarely swayed by ample evidence that the plans they advocate are ineffective or even counterproductive. Look at all of those who advocate a Canada-style health care system in spite of the Canadian experience, or those who agitate for higher taxes in spite of the great success Eastern European economies have had with low, flat tax regimes.


8 posted on 08/13/2006 8:17:41 AM PDT by Phocion ("Protection" really means exploiting the consumer. - Milton Friedman)
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To: Phocion
Those who advocate the expansion of government power are rarely swayed by ample evidence that the plans they advocate are ineffective or even counterproductive.

Agreed. The argument given will be that they don't have enough cameras. 100 times as many cameras will be installed, and then they will say they need more people to watch them.

9 posted on 08/13/2006 8:26:41 AM PDT by Balding_Eagle (God has blessed Republicans political enemies who are going senile.)
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To: SALChamps03

Outside my front door I do not mind a camera at all. Especially in high crimes areas


10 posted on 08/13/2006 8:28:01 AM PDT by Bogtrotter52 (Reading DU daily so you won't hafta)
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To: SALChamps03
I am completely against the idea of the government keeping tabs on its citizens with cameras. If you want to deter crime, make the punishment stiff enough, and make it stick.

And let the honest citizens carry concealed firearms.

11 posted on 08/13/2006 9:31:09 AM PDT by JoeFromSidney (My book is out. Read excerpts at www.thejusticecooperative.com)
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To: JoeFromSidney

amen


12 posted on 08/13/2006 1:48:17 PM PDT by SALChamps03
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To: Abram; albertp; AlexandriaDuke; Allosaurs_r_us; Americanwolf; Americanwolfsbrother; Annie03; ...
thats tax money well spent

Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here

13 posted on 08/13/2006 3:26:46 PM PDT by freepatriot32 (Holding you head high & voting Libertarian is better then holding your nose and voting republican)
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To: JTN

I am opposed to these sort of cameras, but I don't think that number of criminal convictions is really an accurate measure of their effectiveness on crime.

Since they are well marked, a better measure would be to compare the number of street crimes before their installation to the number after their installation. Maybe their value is only preventative in nature.


14 posted on 08/13/2006 6:20:19 PM PDT by JeffAtlanta
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To: JTN
"Spy cameras fail to focus on street crime"

No money in it.

15 posted on 08/13/2006 6:22:52 PM PDT by sweetliberty (Stupidity should make you sterile!)
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