Can you imagine a future where police surveillance cameras are on every street corner, spying on us 24 hours a day?
That vision of the future may not be far from reality. All over the U.S., police surveillance cameras are being installed on street corners, in public bathrooms, residential neighborhoods, and even in parks and forests. They are often purchased with homeland security funds, meant for use against terrorism as well as street crime. But there is disagreement about just how useful these cameras really are. Some law enforcement officials argue the cameras are impossible to monitor continuously. Others argue that just putting up a camera in plain sight can deter crime.
Personally, I don’t believe these cameras will make me feel safer. While they might be useful in helping solve crimes after they happen, I doubt they will actually prevent crimes from taking place. Besides, I think its creepy to be monitored 24 hours a day. What’s next? Putting surveillance cameras in private homes? We’re asked to trust that the law enforcement officials who control these cameras are working for out best interest when those same officials are caught using the cameras to spy on naked women in their homes! I think these cameras are more about behavior control than crime prevention. This is part of a scary movement to erect powerful mass surveillance systems that will keep all populations under the watchful gaze of Big Brother!
Cameras may be helpful after a crime has occurred. Police can go back and view the crime as it happens to catch the criminal. I doubt the footage is ever really seen unless a crime is reported, however. The manpower needed to continuously view these videos would never fit into local budgets, the cost would be too great.
I do wonder, however, how many of these cameras get broken and vandalized. The cost of replacing them continuously would take away too many tax dollars that can be used for more important programs.
I would be curious to know the statistics of the actual usefulness of the cameras. For example, how many criminals are caught due to the installation of a camera? Do the crime rates in areas with cameras decrease significantly or is there no change? I just want to know if the ends can truly justify the money spent on these endeavors.