...part three...
Robert P. Goldman continues:
> You will have more of your privacy preserved under a > camera system that just take snapshots of your car and license > plate, if you run a light, than under human surveillance. > > This is what European countries have: systems that photograph you ONLY > IF YOU RUN THE LIGHT. > > Such a system only invades your privacy when you have sacrificed it by > breaking the law.
And that is something I would have less concern with, although I still believe that on-site officers who confront you -and to whom you may dispute their claims, directly- are preferable to cameras by such a large margin (in humanity concerns, if nothing else) that I would advocate any human alternative to dispassionate lenses.
It's not only about privacy (although that is a huge part of it) but it is also about being able to directly confront the human being making the accusation against me. Yes, I can have my day in court, but that should be a last resort. Having to go to court, even if you're likely to win given that the police can't afford to have most officers show up to contest your contesting their ticket, is still costly in time and money. What you end up doing is putting the burden on the citizen where, when you speak to a cop on the road, you can explain yourself, perhaps find out that an honest mistake was made, etc...
A human officer has latitude in applying the law and that is a part of the system that I feel is the most human.
I would oppose mandatory ticketing for observed infractions for the same reasons, if you see what I mean.
Robert P. Goldman continues:
> So this is LESS of a privacy invasion than an officer at the corner (or
> the video machine in your convenience store), it takes less away from
> violent crime enforcement, its cheaper, and it isn't prone to racial
> bias. I think it's a win.
I agree with you about racial bias. That's the problem with the human part of the equation I outline, above. And, yes, considering how much I value Civil Rights, I cannot defend that system in the light of how minorities are treated, so poorly.
At the same time, and this is just off the top of my head, wouldn't cameras on police -always on them as they do their job- help fight racial profiling and bias? Couldn't we preserve the human aspect of having real officers while, at the same time, using cameras and, possibly, community reviews, to ensure lower levels of racial bias?
This may be pie-in-the-sky thinking, but -again- it's only a thought off the top of my head.
Robert P. Goldman continues:
> By the way, I'd love to have someone more in the know about > Minneapolis' plans chime in about the technology to be used. We > absolutely should NOT be using surveillance cameras for this job; we > should only photograph lawbreaking cars. If we are thinking of using > surveillance cameras then David would be dead right, that would be > Orwellian! > > The Electronic Frontier Foundation (www.eff.org) is a good source for > information.
The EFF is one of my favorite charities and informational organizations. I recommend everyone read up on them and consider their work as good for everyone in understanding technology.
Again, if these are not survelliance cameras and only take snapshots of actual offenders, I have less of a problem with it. In fact, on privacy grounds, I would have NO problem with it, in the case that Mr. Goldman outlines (the European model for these devices).
The problems that would remain, for me, are:
1. The human face and need to have a human accuser -at the time of the accusation- and not rely upon a distant, dispassionate machine dispensing justice without a human eye for compassion, understanding of extenuating circumstances, or even just "a human touch."
2. Private companies, unaccountable to the citizens, making a profit from maintaining these devices.
I hope I've outlined my thoughts adequately.
Yours,
David J Rust
NE Minneapolis
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