Justice, Technology, and Little Cameras

I was randomly thinking of random things as I walked down the street yesterday and I remembered an idea I had a while back. Basically, it a camera system for street security that takes the best of big brother and combines it will the best of civil liberties. Here is how it works...

Put digital video cameras all over the city, starting with high crime areas, but expanding to just about everywhere. These cameras are self-contained (no wires, no wireless transmissions) and will have a build in hard drive capable of recorded one month of video. After one month the video will start to record over the beginning of the tape and so on. No one will have access to the video without an official warrant and the police would than only be allowed to look at a specific time frame as stated in said warrant.

Being video taped is not a violation of privacy or civil rights. The tape itself can not do anything, it is only when people look at the tape that there is a worry. Therefore proper precautions should be in place to avoid any potential problems. First, viewing or tampering with the camera or the video without a warrant must be a felony. Second, the cameras will be equipped with a simple GPS device (they are getting cheaper and cheaper). If the GSP picks up any movement of the cameras than an notification will be sent to the police and several judges to see if there is a warrant out on that camera. Third, the files on the tape will be encrypted, password protected, and could only be accessed at a police station special computer. And just in case, put the cameras in hard to reach locations, like on top of street lights. If proper precautions are taken, than security won’t be a problem. And than if a girl is attacked in the park, the police can get a warrant (with probably cause), get the video of the event and have a better shot of finding and convicting the criminal. Justice, it’s all about Justice.

Comments

Glen Lipka said…
good idear. need to put together a cost estimate for the cameras and the gps and the education campaign.
Dan Welch said…
I think it is a good idea, but I'm not sure is it legal to video tape someone without their consent? I would definately agree that people giving up their rights of being video taped on the street (and only being watched by authorities) is better than a rape victim going free. Go set that s**t up already.

Govenah Welchenstein.

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