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Argument: Surveillance cameras merely shift crime to different areas

Issue Report: Crime cameras

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Heather Knight. “Crime cameras not capturing many crimes”. San Francisco Chronicle. March 21, 2008 – San Francisco’s 68 controversial anti-crime cameras haven’t deterred criminals from committing assaults, sex offenses or robberies – and they’ve only moved homicides down the block, according to a new report from UC Berkeley.

Bruce Schneier, a security consultant and the author of “Beyond Fear: Thinking Sensibly About Security in an Uncertain World.”,
was quoted in a 2007 ABC article: “If you’re the owner of a 7-11 with a surveillance camera and someone robs the store next door to you, then that’s a win for you but not for the police”.[1]

“Security cameras shift Alice crime”. ABC News. July 8, 2008 – The Alice Springs Town Council says security cameras in the Todd Mall have had the unexpected consequence of moving antisocial behaviour to another part of town.

Technical services manager Greg Buxton says the problem has shifted to the Hartley Street car park near the Yeperenye Centre.