Study: 'Big Brother' Cameras Have Little Effect On Crime

cns news ^ | 28 jun 02 | Mike Wendling

[white trash redneck]

My wife and I were in London in Jan 2000, and it is truly spooky to see the extent that public spaces in the UK are wired for video. No surprise that 1984's Winston Smith lived in England.

[ppaul]

BTTT

[spokeshave]

In Manchester...known as "machine gun alley"...the cameras are used as targets

[robertpaulsen]

Police do not prevent crime -- they are there to pick up the pieces and take notes. They are historians. Any system that will help them in their note taking and crime solution is welcomed by them. You'll still get mugged, but now they have it on tape.

[ppaul]

...the cameras are used as targets

LOL!

[ppaul]

Police do not prevent crime -- they are there to pick up the pieces and take notes. They are historians. Any system that will help them in their note taking and crime solution is welcomed by them. You'll still get mugged, but now they have it on tape.

It is amazing how many people are deluded into thinking that the police are there to somehow stop a crime before it happens. They have a rude awakening when they call 911 and ask for help to prevent a crime that is about to happen, and get told, "Sorry, we can't send an officer. If something actually happens, call back."

[B4Ranch]

"There were about 100 police cameras in England in 1990, according to NARCO figures, but that number has steadily risen and will be at about 40,000 by the end of 2002. "

By 2010, you will be required to show 'full face' as you step out the door of your home so they can track all of your movements.By 2020, no problems , with your in cameras and your skin embedded chip transmitters England will be the worlds safest country on earth.

[glc1173@aol.com]

""The general populace is largely in favor of the cameras, because they make them feel safer," he said. "They've reduced drunken, disorderly behaviour because people know they are being watched, or that they can be caught later."" (CNS)

Really? Crime rates in the UK have soared since the place first became infested with spy cams!

I hope every gay Member Of Parliament going to a gay bar is recorded for prurient laughs by those watching the spycams.

[Salman]

bump

[Doctor Stochastic]

But can't divorce lawywers and tabloid reporters data mine the records? Even an iron door may be opened with a golden key.

[TexasRepublic]

I've seen too many videos of convenience store shootings to believe the camera has any deterent effect on the thugs.

[Stavka2]

Here's to the "free" British society...where responsibility is a premium...ever read 1984?

[Stavka2]

Had a friend go drinking and driving...couldn't stop him. Told the bouncer to call the cops while he was wabbling away to get his car, several blocks off. Gave them the direction and dispcription of the car. Cops said they'd look into it. Thank God he made it back to the house without killing anyone, since the cops were to busy sitting in a next door parking lot eating donuts and talking (2 cop cars at that!).

[David Hunter]

Here's to the "free" British society...where responsibility is a premium...ever read 1984?

Yes, I have read it. The fact that the British government is using the foot and mouth epidemic to justify monitoring people's emails and phone calls shows that Orwell was right about governments always wanting to erode the rights of their people.

Personally, I don't think surveillance cameras do much good, since they usually just displace crime from the city centres into the suburbs. Although, recently here, 4 policemen were caught on camera beating up a young couple, so I suppose they sometimes help justice be done.

[David Hunter]

I don't think a Russian has much legitimacy lecturing an Englishman about living in a 'Big Brother' society. I mean in Russia you have SORM2, which allows the FSB to read anyone's emails and see what websites they visit, all without a judicial warrant. It also allows them to scan all the emails being sent or received in Russia for keywords.

I suppose they have also started covertly compiling dossiers on the known political and economic characteristics of Russians, since that could be done automatically using a computer program. After all, this is the former KGB we're talking about and the President of Russia is a former KGB career officer. But like President Putin said its all just to fight terrorism and organised crime, it couldn't possibly be misused, even though there are no safeguards in place. Oh well, Stavka, you had better not say anything controversial. Who knows what list of subversives you might be put on.

[Stavka2]

You mean like the American Echelon system that is in Wales? Probably not quite as sophisticated as what the US/UK gov uses...and last I checked, it was also being used by US/UK companies for espionage....how cute...and under law suit by the EU.

[Stavka2]

Personally, I'd rather just have the police and my trusty fire arm. I personnaly like the Texas law which requires all armed citizens who witness a crime to intervene. Now that's instant justice.

[Stavka2]

And Bush senior was head of the CIA and Blair started Operation Napkin...not saying to much there.

[backhoe]

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[David Hunter]

You mean like the American Echelon system that is in Wales?

The Echelon system monitors international not intranational electronic communications. Echelon is supposed to detect espionage, but I have heard it has been misused for the benefit of the US, not the UK, economy.

The British government currently holds copies of emails for a set period and can only access them with a judicial warrant. It is not allowed to scan emails for keywords. Encryption is allowed in Britain, although you can be forced to reveal the key. I doubt encryption will be legal for much longer in Russia, considering the Russian government's totalitarian instincts.

The Russian email surveillance system is fundamentally flawed if it exists, (as the Russian government claims), to prevent organised crime and terrorism. This is because any gangster or terrorist can afford to use an ISP outside Russia, which means SORM2 can't monitor their communications. Also unlike law abiding civilians, they are likely to have the expertise and money to use military grade encryption software. This is why email surveillance is a nonsense, since anyone who really has something to hide will use effective methods to protect themselves, or they won't use such a fallible communication method in the first place.