Video Surveillance

Video Surveillance Video surveillance in the United States is becoming widespread. Video cameras are being used in Department stores, convenience stores, store parking lots, and inside banks. The purpose of video cameras are to deter or prevent crime. Are they effective? This issue has sparked a nationwide debate, between the merits of video surveillance and the privacy invasion. The merits of video surveillance, by far, outweigh the issues of privacy invasion. In the 1970's and 1980's Authorities in Great Britain began installing closed circuit television cameras on streets and in parks, transit stations, stadiums and shopping areas. With more than four million cameras nationwide, the average visitor to London is captured on video 300 times in a single day, according to British sociologist Clive Norris (Shenk). Most people will say it makes them nervous being watched or stared at while performing an everyday activity. Have you ever bumped your head and immediately after, looked around to see if anybody was watching? I'm sure that has happened to almost everyone. Get used to it. As long as they keep a thief from grabbing a purse, or keep an abductor from taking a child, more and more cameras are going to be installed in public areas. These cameras are helping law enforcement to prevent illegal acts, The following articles are cases caught by video surveillance, that otherwise would have gone unnoticed . In an article from The Business Week Online by Jane Black, there is a case reporting child abuse caught on tape. Madelyne Gorman Toogood was leaving a Kohl's Department Store. While strapping her four year old child into a car seat, she began to beat this young child, pulling her hair and punching her in the head and face. This was all captured on Kohl's video surveillance of the parking lot. After this tape was handed to authorities in South Bend, Ind, a warrant was issued for her arrest. Ms Toogood faced charges of child battery and