What I have found intriguing is that even with the increasing number of
CCTV's on campus, installed as a means of improving security (buzzword of
the present era), there has not been an apprehension of the perpetrators
of these crimes (or at least not made public known).
You can't make it publicly known because: that would "prejudice the jury" and prevent a fair trial; and the perp is "innocent until proven guilty" -- which will take 2-3 years if it is a "speedy trial."
The university maintains a listing of all of these devices on the Almanac: http://www.upenn.edu/almanac/v50/n04/cctv.html
The issue of CCTV and privacy is important to consider as more and more of
these devices are popping up all over; my question is whether or not they
are actually accomplishing their intended purpose:
"The purpose of CCTV monitoring of public areas by security personnel is
to defer crime and to assist the Penn police in protecting the safety and
property of the University community"
( http://www.upenn.edu/almanac/v45/n28/CCTV.html )
The idea that CCTV cameras can DETER crime is as bogus as the idea that putting Cops in cars instead of on the street DETERS crime.
99% of Crime is "crime of opportunity." The remaining 1% are carefully planned. In either case, the first thing the "perp" does is to look around and see if anybody is "looking," then they pull their hood up ... except that they are only interested in not getting physically caught at the moment. The fact that someone "sees" them doing naughty things doesn't bother them, because they know nobody will ever testify against them. (Especially students who won't even be in town when their case comes to trial 3 or 4 years later.)
While it might be true that if a crime takes place under the watchful eye of the camera, the (assumed) video tape from that camera can be used in court to show that a tiny, shadowy object with hood pulled up -- that might have been the perp -- was present when the crime took place. (One wonders about the results of the mugging that took place under the camera at 37th and Locust Walk the other day.)
While possible that an OPERATED camera might be able to zoom in on a crime in progress and get a good picture of the perp; that does ZERO to aid the victim... they just get laid out on the street with their guts spilling out while the perp appears on candid camera -- Some deterrence! And of course, if the operator takes the time to call for officers, the crime is over and the ability to zoom in on it is gone.
CCTV has a place in law enforcement -- but deterrence is not one of them. Oh, it might be if there was a judicial system supporting the cameras that made it truly probable that the perp would not only do time, but hard time. But we all know that in Philadelphia, especially, that will never happen.
The perps all know one important fact -- crime PAYS in Philadelphia!
Even if they get arrested, which is a LOW probability; they know there is a HIGH probability they will be back on the street within 24 hours. (Along with an accompanying increase in stature for having "beaten the man.") A trial will take years because nobody will bother to show up and one continuance will follow another (Lawyers, Police, Victims, are "busy" and can't show up, etc.). And that even if they ultimately "do time" it will be short and only briefly inconvenience them... they will be able to get married, have conjugal visits, and continue to run their businesses all while "behind bars." Then they will be back on the streets "rehabilitated," with their "debt to society" paid and able to continue what they were doing when they were picked up. And I won't bother to get into the fact that the bulk of these latest perps are Juveniles who have even less to "fear" from the Judicial system than do those "of mature age."
The only less effective thing than CCTV cameras is putting Cops in Cars "so that they can respond" to crime. Yes, the basic policy of Police action in the City of Philadelphia and of Penn's Police force is RESPONDING to crime, NOT deterring it.
Sunday night, walking up Walnut Street from 38th, I was passed by 8 Police cars -- both City and University -- whizzing past me at 40 miles an hour. (No, not together, as in responding to something.) Not a single bicycle officer, or foot patrolman was to be seen. Quite frankly, I see more UCD "Safety Ambassadors" than I see any Uniformed Officers of any kind in UC these days. Maybe the UCD should consider re-opening the Mini-Stations that Commissioner Williams established.
T.T.F.N. William H. Magill [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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