A Surveillance Camera On Every Chicago Street Corner?

Mike writes "Chicago Mayor Daley has stated that if his Olympic dreams come true, by 2016 there will be a surveillance camera on 'every street corner in Chicago.' Just like in London, elected officials all over America appear to be happily advancing a 'surveillance society' without regard for civil rights or privacy concerns. Ray Orozco, executive director of Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications is quoted as saying, 'We're going to grow the system until we eventually cover one end of the city to the other.'" Chicago has been developing its surveillance network for some time, but it seems they plan to continue increasing the scale.

Re:Surveillance solves crimes

[abigsmurf]

mmmm straw man.

A call is not public, it's an encrypted transmission or through a non-public circuit. When you're in public anyone can see you and you'd expect people to be able to see you. When you're on the phone, especially in a private location, you don't expect people to be able to listing in fully (other than people nearby hearing you talk).

It's the same distinction that makes taking someone's picture legal but sticking a camera up their skirt illegal.

Re:The cameras do nothing

[Hognoxious]

What about a cop with a camera on every corner?

Better make it a cheap disposable one - he might get mugged!

Re:The cameras do nothing

[ssintercept]

i have to disagree. i am just north of Chicago (Waukegan) and we are experiencing an influx of cameras both in public and private areas. they are trying to rebuild the downtown area, which has caused the street rats (read as homeless, crackheads etc) to migrate to my neighborhood. crime spiked and in came the cameras. the street rats left and crime went back down in my neighborhood. now, i do not know where they went and i don't care. i know that it has become another's problem and that does blow. i do agree with you that the money would be better spent on social/educational programs but i will not say that they do nothing- imho, they are a deterrent to the casual criminal.

downside- my weed dealer no longer makes deliveries to my neighborhood....

Re:Surveillance solves crimes

[Ashriel]

What would be wrong with a web cam in every politician's office monitoring their actions and accessible by the general public, after all they are meant to be working for the public so the public should be able to supervise them.

Amen to that. Of course, in these cases, I would want a microphone to go along with that camera.

Play the old switch-a-roo

[GrantRobertson]

If they ever put up cameras wherever I live, then I will just start wearing a mask, everywhere I go, and then randomly switch them out and trade with other people at random points in my trip. That should keep them confused.

Re:The cameras do nothing, neither do prisons

[Anonymous Coward]

Isn't this why Australia exists?