PSA: Robbery at Second & Academy

sure, and nothing protects us all from crimes.  Not a camera and certainly not a cop.  They are there for the after crime.

Fix the income inequality, eliminate the war on drugs and bring back real opportunity and crime will be reduced.   Im not willing to be photographed and filmed on every block for the false feeling of safety.

I think the fact that cameras are appearing everywhere might be acting as a deterrent, and I expect their reputation will increase. I expect this to increase the deterrence that they currently offer. If you know you're likely to get caught, you might not commit the crime.

I think what I do in public is a public matter. The privacy problem is that the government is retaining the videos. There should be oversight to make sure that unneeded records are not retained. I'm not saying there isn't a privacy problem. They can now string together a record of where I travel by recording my license plate number and where it is recorded over time. That has to stop.

hoops said:

sure, and nothing protects us all from crimes.  Not a camera and certainly not a cop.  They are there for the after crime.

Fix the income inequality, eliminate the war on drugs and bring back real opportunity and crime will be reduced.   Im not willing to be photographed and filmed on every block for the false feeling of safety.

 And you'd change your tune if you were the one being mugged, or, even worse, killed.  Why would you not want the person harming you be caught in the act of the crime?  It's only to your advantage.

When you watch the news and see someone having the crap being beaten out of him or her, filmed by on-street cameras, are you highly indignant because someone's rights were allegedly infringed upon according to your perception?  Or do you yell YAY, CAUGHT THE BASTARD?

That's why I saw a Seton Hall security truck around the area the other day, I was wondering, and the JESPY residence is near there and one of the supported houses is the second on from that corner.

Bee said:

There are a few obvious college houses at the corner of 2nd & Valley - most notably the one where they never shovel and the lawn is littered with garbage, solo cups and parked cars covered in Seton Hall bumper stickers/magnets. If someone were to rob college kids,  I could see why they'd pick that corner.

I live on Milligan Place and there is a house that is rented out to students, and the other day, there were a couple of dozen students going to the house, I assumed it was for an end of the semester BBQ.

I guess I am not sure they are targeting college kids. Certainly some seem very entitled, which is annoying. But I am 65 and female. I look pretty hearty, but that doesn't mean I am not an easy mark. 

Then again, coming from the city, there were many places where we could be targeted.

mumstheword said:

hoops said:

sure, and nothing protects us all from crimes.  Not a camera and certainly not a cop.  They are there for the after crime.

Fix the income inequality, eliminate the war on drugs and bring back real opportunity and crime will be reduced.   Im not willing to be photographed and filmed on every block for the false feeling of safety.

 And you'd change your tune if you were the one being mugged, or, even worse, killed.  Why would you not want the person harming you be caught in the act of the crime?  It's only to your advantage.

When you watch the news and see someone having the crap being beaten out of him or her, filmed by on-street cameras, are you highly indignant because someone's rights were allegedly infringed upon according to your perception?  Or do you yell YAY, CAUGHT THE BASTARD?

 I think you are missing the point.  IF there are cameras they might act as a deterent - but more likely the crime would still be commited and the person being mugged would still be mugged.  The criminal who did the robbing would be on tape and who is going to see that tape?  Unless its on the news, its not going anywhere and you're giving away your privacy for the off-chance that a camera will deter a criminal.

I've been mugged,  -- although I have not yet been murdered, so I'm not certain how I'd feel about that, -- anyway its not a great feeling and I highly doubt that a camera would have done anything to prevent the robbery.  They are good for AFTER the fact only.   

Suffice it to say I respect your opinion,  my feeble attempt at humor not withstanding, however I dont think giving up the little privacy I have left as a supposed safeguard is enough to warrant me to want to be filmed 24/7 365.

I have seen several moving violations occur within sight of a police officer (in a cruiser) and nothing happened.  It's very frustrating. 

This includes speeding, running red lights, running stop signs, not yielding to pedestrians, etc.

hoops said:

I agree with tom.   I think sting operations are dishonest, especially with regards to traffic violations.  

we dont need public cameras controlled by police, but I wouldnt sweat more police presence in the form of patrol cars or actual police walking the block.  

marylago said:

Ugh! I walk by there every day... That intersection seems to be trouble. I wonder why.

It might be because it's further enough away -- just a block or two -- from a concentration of shops/stores for there not to be eyewitnesses.  Especially since the victims, in this instance, were strong-armed and thrown to the ground.  

marylago said:

Ugh! I walk by there every day... That intersection seems to be trouble. I wonder why.

qrysdonnell said:

There was a high school kid robbed at 1st and Sloan back in March.  I think it's tempting to try and connect to two into thinking that someone is trying to target youths, but it's probably too small of a data sample to come to any conclusion.  (Which is a good thing, at least.)

Good point.  These appear to be crimes of opportunity.  The student at the Sloan and 1st Street mugging was robbed of his phone.  Perhaps he had been using it.  Perhaps not.  But it's a distraction that gives a perp the edge; the element of surprise.  The perp knows he is, at least, getting that phone.

People should keep their wits about them on the street.  I believe that criminals make certain assumptions about their victims.  A thug likely believes that a Seton Hall student has money, a credit card, and technology.  That could also be true about the business casual types walking from the train station with laptop bags.  

http://www.popcenter.org/problems/street_robbery/

gerryl said:

I guess I am not sure they are targeting college kids. Certainly some seem very entitled, which is annoying. But I am 65 and female. I look pretty hearty, but that doesn't mean I am not an easy mark. 

Then again, coming from the city, there were many places where we could be targeted.