Editorial:
More security cameras would cut down on crime, vandalism
Published Nov. 17, 2009
Students living in suite-style residence halls who want to steal lounge furniture, pull fire alarms or vandalize the residence halls in any way might be out of luck if the Residence Halls Association has its way.
RHA drafted a proposal to install security cameras on every floor of suite-style residence halls. They would only be in the hallways or stairwells, so the cameras would not record what goes on in the rooms.
Because the cameras are only recording activity in public areas, we feel this is in no way a breach of privacy on behalf of Residential Life. In fact, it's likely to benefit everyone in the residence halls in the long run.
Many residence halls have problems with vandalism of bulletin boards, theft of lounge furniture and false fire alarms. Having cameras in the hallways would be a great step in deterring all those crimes.
When someone steals lounge furniture, everyone on the floor is charged for the loss unless the thief is caught. When someone vandalizes a bulletin board, all students will get in trouble by the PA or CA on the floor. When someone pulls the fire alarm for no reason, every student in the residence hall is inconvenienced.
Not only would this help to catch the perpetrators of these crimes, but it would also deter people from doing anything wrong. When a person is going to pull a fire alarm, he or she typically looks both ways first to see if anyone is watching. If there is a camera to catch the perpetrator in the act, there is less of a chance they will do it in the first place.
At the end of the day, the only people who should really have a problem with the installation of these cameras are the ones who plan on pulling fire alarms or stealing lounge furniture. Other than that, the cameras do not harm anyone. Students complaining about privacy should realize the hallways and stairwells are common areas where there is already the possibility there are witnesses present.
What the proposal does not spell out is how the cameras will be funded. Both RHA and the Department of Residential Life have money they can allocate for this program. It would be an excellent use of their money.
Once cameras have been tested in suite-style halls, RHA should figure out how to expand it into all halls. As long as the cameras are not pointed into a bathroom or bedroom, there should be no problem with a breach of privacy.
After all, what student would be against something to potentially prevent false fire alarms that cause them to go outside in the middle of the night in winter or eliminate paying for common area furniture they didn't steal?
Comments (2)
12:23 p.m., Nov. 30, 2009
MU Alum said:
"After all, what student would be against something to potentially prevent false fire alarms that cause them to go outside in the middle of the night in winter or eliminate paying for common area furniture they didn't steal?" Dear god. What student in their right mind would be so immature and short-sighted as to insist on nanny-cameras in their living quarters, so as to speed the devolution into a "1984," Big Brother paradigm? Frankly, surveillance video can be, and often IS, abused, as well, so how does this make society safer, exactly? Frightening that a generation views dorm furniture and grafitti-free areas as invaluable, compared to such formerly-priceless intangibles as Privacy, a Sense of Humor, and a Willingness to be Slightly Inconvenienced. Hopefully, the other students at MU aren't dumb enough to fall for this "Security cameras are your friend," hype and will be willing to spend a few minutes in the cold air rather than taking the easy way out with security cameras.
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2:36 p.m., Nov. 17, 2009
Nate said:
Someone go into the editorial board member's apartments or houses and install cameras in their hallways, stairwells, and living rooms please. I'm sure their landlords can raise the rent to pay for the cameras and keep them running. But don't forget to not to point the cameras at their bathrooms or bedrooms!