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Oct 22, 2007 11:17 pm US/Eastern
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Philadelphia Getting $10M In Cameras
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
Philadelphia
will be getting 250 additional surveillance cameras in
various locations throughout the city,
Mayor Street
announced Monday.
The announcement was made during a morning news
conference at City Hall.
Street said it is a major expansion of the
high-tech crime-fighting program which has already placed 18 cameras at 7th Street and Girard Avenue
and other locations.
The expansion will cost nearly $10 million.
But a Temple University
professor said the cameras need to be out in the open to deter crime.
"If people are caught on cameras they just about
always pled guilty," said Jerry Ratcliffe, Criminal Justice Professor at Temple
University.
Ratcliff published a recent study for the Department of Justice
looking at how effective surveillance cameras are at preventing crime. His findings included when trying to prevent violence
crimes surveillance cameras are effective, but not as effective as they are in preventing
more premeditating crimes like robbery.
"Crimes of violence are often instant. They are reactive. They're often crimes of passion and people don't
think so clearly then," Ratcliffe said.
"People will get the message that the cameras are out
there and if you intend to get involved in some kind of activity you better look
around first and maybe rethink it," John Gaittens, Deputy Police Commissioner
said.
Starting in a few weeks, the new additional cameras will first
be installed in West Philadelphia near 52nd and Market
Street.
"I envision cameras in just every district of the city
down the road," Gaittens said.
The city has partnered with a private company to install
and maintain the system. The city will designate
a special committee to over see the system to make sure it is not abused.
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