PUBLIC SURVEILLANCE CURBS CRIME IN NORTH ST. LOUIS

Cost and Effect

The 21st Ward spent $600,000 over the last eighteen months on two dozen high-calibre security cameras placed strategically throughout North City neighborhoods. Residents have asked whether the installations have actually decreased crime. In the ever ongoing dialogue over privacy and security, the answer is very important.

Antonio French, city alderman, advocates the cameras as a silent witness to crime - a witness that has allowed police to capture and prosecute criminals of every kind. In spite of skepticism, he also says that over the past year, homicides have dropped by eighty percent.

Residents have encouraged the city to invest instead in proactive measures, such as community centers and publicly-funded activities. While public intervention in a positive sense certainly has its role, the cameras themselves seem to be doing their job quite effectively. If homicides have in fact dropped so dramatically after the installation of this surveillance equipment, it seems safe to say that the investment was a good one.

If even a single life was spared, the cameras have done good work. And for those crimes that do take place even so, police have been able to find and arrest the perpetrators with much greater success.

What About the Citizens?

Not all crime takes place on the street, however. With a reduction in murders as drastic as eighty percent, it certainly makes one wonder how much greater the effect of home security might be in deterring crime of any sort.

When home security cameras are installed in visible locations, potential criminals become non-threats. Everything from graffiti to violence is less likely when it is obvious that the crime would be recorded.

Criminals and potential criminals are aware that a recording of unlawful actions reduces the likelihood of their getting away with it. It allows them to take a moment, consider the possible outcome of their actions, and weigh the consequences. It adds one very serious reason not to go through with the crime.

This seems like all the reason one needs to make the investment, taking crime prevention into one's own hands. The streets are being rendered safer by such forces as alderman French, but our properties are still at risk.

What a Camera Will Do for You

The city may have spent $600,000 on two dozen security cameras - roughly $25,000 per camera - but you don't need to.

The cameras themselves can cost as little as $100.00, in some cases. The DVR systems, installation, and service add to the base price, but you can see we're no longer talking about the ranges that the city pays for its very high calibre equipment.

Basic security coverage through use of cameras is not difficult or prohibitively expensive. The really important consideration is: what do you gain by taking such measures?

Peace of mind is not something that you can easily place a dollar value on. Knowing that you and your family are being watched over, and that criminals know it, can be an incredible source of that peace.

Consider contacting us today. We can discuss any number of options, and find just the right setup for you.

Call us at 1-877-821-4880, or visit us at our website. See also our forum to discuss questions and concerns with our experts.

Dan Parrington is a freelance content writer for a variety of small businesses across the web. He operates out of his primary business website, The Parrington Review. You can contact him at dan@parringtonreview.com.