Neighborhood Watch With Cameras

[kellychaos]

There's been talk in the city of Detroit about installing hidden cameras in the more crime-ridden sections of both Detroit and the outlying metropolitan area. Does this sound to "Big Brotherish" as far as privacy goes or does it more or less fall along the lines of the "in plain sight" rule a policeman might follow during warrant procedures? My problem is that although it may work to decrease crime, it will ultimately cause an increase in the societal stress level. I mean, it seems that the little crimes that fall between the cracks give us a certain amount of leeway in our indiscretions and serve as a kind of lubricant - i.e. the knowledge that we can get away with some things sometimes alleviates stress. On another point, what it the cameras are really successful in those high-crime areas? Will the rich areas of town then get the newer, more technologically advanced cameras whereas the poor areas get the hand-me-downs and, thus, making the poorer areas ultimately the higher crime areas once again. Catch-22?

[FS]

Not at all. Were you planning on doing anything private in the streets? Do you start sweating when you notice a store you're in has security cams?

The crime prevention effect, however, is probably minimum. The cameras so quickly become something you don't even notice anymore that probably few criminals will reconsider their actions. The only real use maybe is to be able to catch the face of perpetrators of violent crimes on the camera... but there's only so much you can do with that.

It's been done in several countries already, but maybe the effect is different per country - in Detroit it might have a more potent effect.