Videotaping criminal neighbors?

[Flea]

This article has a slightly sensationalistic tone, but it's an interesting idea. I can see how it could go very wrong in a hurry.

http://tinyurl.com/lsnfnb

But armed with her trusty video camera, Sharon Hodgkinson has turned the tide of loutish behaviour on her street.
While other residents were left living in fear as fighting, vandalism and late-night drinking blighted the neighbourhood, she was determined to take a stand.


The 38-year-old school governor turned detective and began compiling a dossier of evidence which has so far seen three troublemakers evicted.

Thoughts?

 

[Satt]

I think she did the right thing. The only problem is they are going to move into another neighborhood and do the same thing to someone else. Also, the guy in jail for 70 days may come back and kill her. Too bad about that gun control thing in the UK. :barf:

 

[Flea]

Of course there's also the obvious, that perps wouldn't wait until they were arrested to retaliate. If I had that kind of personality in the first place I wouldn't hesitate to show someone who was boss if they got uppity enough to whip out a camera. Especially if I were already under the influence ...

My neighborhood could really use something this proactive, but we also have a really bad crack problem. Not the kind of moment for getting confrontational with someone.

 

[Tez3]

I think she did the right thing. The only problem is they are going to move into another neighborhood and do the same thing to someone else. Also, the guy in jail for 70 days may come back and kill her. Too bad about that gun control thing in the UK. :barf:

Yeah a real shame isn't it? there's all of us, hiding in the corners because we're so scared as we don't have guns.
Do you honestly think having guns would help , if you do you are mistaken and really need to look at own crime and criminals before you make such pretentious statements about anothers country.
On a lot of council estates such as this one groups have got together and cleaned up the area driving the drug dealers etc out, the neighbourhoods have worked with the council and the police to make the council estates (some of the poorest in the country akin to ghettos in many places) safer places to live. Some councils provide 'professional witnesses' who will move into an empty property, video and record everything so they can go to court without the fear of intimidation.

http://212.58.226.17:8080/1/low/scotland/2197243.stm
http://m.chroniclelive.co.uk/ms/p/tmg/newcchro/view.m?id=832775&tid=638956&cat=Todays_Chronicle
http://www.camden.gov.uk/ccm/conten...sionid=6BF464B611643D3917570A7821E57BFD.node1

Having guns doesn't solve the situation, these are some of the poorest people in the UK, many are immigrants with no English, others are old and others are single parents with young children living on very little, it takes community action ie strength in numbers, police and council co-operation to clear these places.
People are also critical of having CCTV along our streets but it's usefulness in these situations can't be underestimated, it's hard to intimidate a static camera!
This lady is brave no doubt about it but sh had a lot of help and support from the authorities in the campaign. she chose to stand up and be counted, more should do that.

 

[Tez3]

Of course there's also the obvious, that perps wouldn't wait until they were arrested to retaliate. If I had that kind of personality in the first place I wouldn't hesitate to show someone who was boss if they got uppity enough to whip out a camera. Especially if I were already under the influence ...

My neighborhood could really use something this proactive, but we also have a really bad crack problem. Not the kind of moment for getting confrontational with someone.

These things are better done as a group not as individuals. it needs your local political reps, the local police and the local people to get together and make a plan of action.
http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/newpowers
http://www.suttonguardian.co.uk/new...comes_second_to_be_locked_out_under_new_laws/

 

[Omar B]

There are many places here in the US where it's illegal to videotape someone without permission or having them sign a waiver. This woman could have found herself in trouble.

 

[Tez3]

There are many places here in the US where it's illegal to videotape someone without permission or having them sign a waiver. This woman could have found herself in trouble.

It's not illegal here so she was okay in that respect though people obviously could take exception to it.

 

[jks9199]

There are many places here in the US where it's illegal to videotape someone without permission or having them sign a waiver. This woman could have found herself in trouble.

There are some very narrow limits on photographing or video in a public place (mostly linked to fighting child porn, incidentally), but, generally, if it is in a public place, you can run a camera. You don't even have to advise anyone you're doing it necessarily.

 

[MA-Caver]

There are some very narrow limits on photographing or video in a public place (mostly linked to fighting child porn, incidentally), but, generally, if it is in a public place, you can run a camera. You don't even have to advise anyone you're doing it necessarily.

True. As a tour guide I find myself being videotaped on almost every tour and photographed ... they don't ask MY permission to do so, they just assume that it's alright, and I suppose it is for I just ignore it and do my job. For personal reasons I'd rather they didn't and turn their lens towards the pretty cave formations instead.
Either way the very idea that my neighbor across the street or next door is aiming a camera in my direction or into my window when the blinds are up is a bit disconcerting. There are privacy issues even if I'm out in my front yard.

I can see this going south pretty quick myself.

 

[celtic_crippler]

She's using the resources she has at her disposal to make her neighborhood a better place. Good for her.

Besides...what would she do with a gun? Shoot them all down in the street for being rowdy? C'mon...

 

[Nolerama]

I think it's a good thing for her neighborhood. It takes a lot of courage to do something about neighborhood problems. However, I agree with a previous post: she should be doing this in a group.

The Neighborhood Associations in my area do just that. Maybe not video everything that goes wrong, but they do keep tabs on problem properties, request police presence appropriately, and maintain the facade of a neighborhood. Picking up litter and planting trees and flowers really makes a difference in the way people think about their neighborhood.

On the flip side, one can argue that such activities are the spear tip of a gentrification process. However, in order for that to be true, one has to assume that only rich people can have a good neighborhood. I believe that's wrong. Poor people can live in a nice environment, too. And there's plenty of resources for that.

But it takes a group effort. And hopefully for that lady, she forms a group, and that group becomes a community.

 

[Rich Parsons]

This article has a slightly sensationalistic tone, but it's an interesting idea. I can see how it could go very wrong in a hurry.

http://tinyurl.com/lsnfnb



Thoughts?

I know before one could video tape neighbors and it was fine even if they were in their house, but you could not have the sound recording on as that would violate their rights on the wire tapping laws. I know there ware cases that discussed this and that there might be new rulings or laws in place.


That being said, each person has to make their decisions, and as stated by others retaliation is possible.

 

[Satt]

Yeah a real shame isn't it? there's all of us, hiding in the corners because we're so scared as we don't have guns.
Do you honestly think having guns would help , if you do you are mistaken and really need to look at own crime and criminals before you make such pretentious statements about anothers country.
On a lot of council estates such as this one groups have got together and cleaned up the area driving the drug dealers etc out, the neighbourhoods have worked with the council and the police to make the council estates (some of the poorest in the country akin to ghettos in many places) safer places to live. Some councils provide 'professional witnesses' who will move into an empty property, video and record everything so they can go to court without the fear of intimidation.

http://212.58.226.17:8080/1/low/scotland/2197243.stm
http://m.chroniclelive.co.uk/ms/p/tmg/newcchro/view.m?id=832775&tid=638956&cat=Todays_Chronicle
http://www.camden.gov.uk/ccm/conten...sionid=6BF464B611643D3917570A7821E57BFD.node1

Having guns doesn't solve the situation, these are some of the poorest people in the UK, many are immigrants with no English, others are old and others are single parents with young children living on very little, it takes community action ie strength in numbers, police and council co-operation to clear these places.
People are also critical of having CCTV along our streets but it's usefulness in these situations can't be underestimated, it's hard to intimidate a static camera!
This lady is brave no doubt about it but sh had a lot of help and support from the authorities in the campaign. she chose to stand up and be counted, more should do that.

Thank you for your honesty. While I believe in guns, I understand that many do not and I shouldn't judge. I think it's great if England is so safe nobody needs guns. The police must be MUCH better responders there than they are here. If someone broke into my house with the intention of killing me and my family, I don't trust the US police to get there in time to save me.

 

[Darksoul]

Thank you for your honesty. While I believe in guns, I understand that many do not and I shouldn't judge. I think it's great if England is so safe nobody needs guns. The police must be MUCH better responders there than they are here. If someone broke into my house with the intention of killing me and my family, I don't trust the US police to get there in time to save me.

-You're right, sometimes you have to protect you and yours. Waiting around for law enforcement to show up won't always work. I think there is a lot of people out there who will allow themselves to become a victim before fighting back. I say 'rock on' to the woman in the article. I wonder how many neighborhoods in the U.S. have a community policing program. We do it unofficially where I live, although there are many conflicting personalities here. Creates some very unneccesary drama. Oddly enough, the H.O.A. decided to pull out bushes in front of everyone's windows, (townhouses), and some think its just great, that no one will be peeking in their homes now. Seriously, bushes act as a great deterrant, and now the homes look ugly and bare. Whatever.


Andrew

 

[Tez3]

No one should live in fear, carrying a gun here doesn't help dispel fear, taking action does. It's not a case of believing in guns or not, it's finding solutions to problems and guns aren't the solution to this problem. You can't go around brandishing guns to get rid of the drug dealers in the park or the prostitutes on the street corners, guns won't get rid of the youngsters running wild and vandalising empty houses. It takes action by the local councils, the tenants and the police. the housing estates need money spent on them to bring them up to a decent standard, the people need to fele as if it's their estates which they don't and it shows. You can smell the desperation, neglect and abandonment in the air of these places.
Police response times aren't bad here, we have special units that deal with the estates, we have armed police units too if needed.

This is whats needed not guns
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7318556.stm

 

[MJS]

I give this woman alot of credit. One of the main problems with high crime areas, is that many who live there, do not want to get involved. They fear retaliation, so they say and do nothing. The one problem that I see, is that she makes no bones about making herself known to what she's doing. The retaliation may not happen, if she didn't make herself so obvious. Judging from the article, it seems to me anyways, that she isn't too concerned with that though. Again, I give her alot of credit. Maybe if there were more people like her, that stood up to the punks of the neighborhood, there'd be less crime.

 

[jks9199]

She's using the resources she has at her disposal to make her neighborhood a better place. Good for her.

Besides...what would she do with a gun? Shoot them all down in the street for being rowdy? C'mon...

I've got some neighbors who have tempted me pretty sorely to do just that...

But, personally, depending on the problem, I've found simply talking to the neighbors can go a long way. When that doesn't work... there are other ways.

 

[Satt]

Ok, i understand people in the UK don't need guns. I get it. My gun comment wasn't directed at rowdy kids though. It was directed at the kid in jail if he came back and decided to kill her. Anyway, I think it's great that they have such great response and special neighborhood units. Good luck over there.

 

[celtic_crippler]

Ok, i understand people in the UK don't need guns. I get it. My gun comment wasn't directed at rowdy kids though. It was directed at the kid in jail if he came back and decided to kill her. Anyway, I think it's great that they have such great response and special neighborhood units. Good luck over there.

If he does she can hit him in the head with her camera.