Do surveillance cameras make crime fighting more effective?

In parts of New Jersey, surveillance cameras allow officers in squad cars to view real-time footage via in-car computers of street corners blocks away. While police credit the cameras with being a force multiplier and a deterrent to criminals, it is less clear what type of a direct effect their use has on crime. "We have very little evidence that lets us know whether they are effective or not," said Temple Criminal Justice Chair Jerry Ratcliffe, who is studying the use of surveillance cameras in Philadelphia.
Feb. 27, 2011 | Cherry Hill Courier Post