I just learned of a new development in community policing. Not so long ago, East Orange, New Jersey had a crime rate that was 14 times the national average. It was clear hiring more police or generally doing more of what they were doing was not going to yield the results needed to make an appreciable difference. They needed to do something revolutionary, and something revolutionary, the did. And in so doing, they reduced crime in the area by a whopping 76%!
But in this once crime-ridden town — at one time, the murder rate was more than four times the national average — police are using high-tech equipment to keep a closer eye on city streets. The new alarm-based automated dispatch system, or ABAD for short, has reduced police response time to mere seconds.
A few months ago, the unit integrated ABAD with gunshot detection, real-time response, and security camera systems as part of one all-encompassing intelligent system that can report crime as it happens.
In 2007, the police department collaborated with Digisensory Technologies for the smart sensors inside them, which can alert officers in the crime division if there’s a gathering of people. The police then inspect the footage to determine if it’s just a group of kids — or a group of kids looking for trouble.
But where it really shines is looking into the future. “The system will predict when the next likely event will occur at these locations during these particular times during this particular day.
If you see a sketchy red car outside your house, you could log on to find photographic stills of your street. You can then tell the surveillance camera to turn toward that location to get a better look, and request that police check out the situation from afar. Police can then respond to the request using a message board, telling you if the owner of the car was previously arrested for drug dealing — or just buying groceries, thanks to a license plate recognition system.
Full Story.
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Showing posts with label crime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crime. Show all posts
Friday 2 July 2010
Tuesday 23 June 2009
Political rant
Welfare fraud is perpetrated illegally by the poor and desperate. Tax avoidance is legally taken advantage of by the rich and affluent. "Loopholes" are mostly devised by the rich to help the rich. Let's get one other thing straight. I'm not naive enough to believe that things will change significantly in favour of the poor at the expense of the rich. Wealth in America, like guns in America will come from wherever it/they are most easy to be gotten.
The argument that jurisdictions where gun control has been enacted shows little or no gun-related crime decline is due simply because guns are brought in from other places. Unless you make it extremely difficult to get guns at all, be ready to bury your child, grandchild or yourself from taking a stray bullet.
It's the same story with wealth. I believe it was Maryland that enacted a "Millionaire" law in an attempt to tax the rich a little more. Surprisingly (to some), suddenly the number of filers with income over one million dropped by about one third. They're still wondering what happened to all those millionaires. You can be sure that they didn't suddenly experience a huge drop in their income. Some left the state, some hid money and others more adept at wealth building than I, came up with other methods to stay one step ahead of the tax man.
You can't force people to take care of their own families let alone strangers. For some unGodly, truly unGodly, reason, a lot of Americans are under the mistaken notion that it is possible to keep almost all of their earned cash with no ramifications at all. Why do you think that the streets are riddled with crime, junkies, hos, homeless? Why do you think that individuals and businesses need to barricade their premises like fortresses and spend big bucks on security officers and systems? Why do you think the insurance corporations are among the biggest companies in the world? This all costs everyone a ton of money. These are just some examples of where much of our money goes because we adamantly stick to the principle "I earned my money and no one should take any of it and give it to someone else". Guess what. You are giving it to someone else--just not the ones who need it!
You're giving it to the companies who make the products or provide the services I mentioned above. Then there's the cost of crime prevention, detection, analysis, pursuit, prosecution, incarceration, rehabilitation, etc. My dear, misguided soul--get it through your head and go forth and teach others that to a point, the less tax you pay, the more it costs you. There will always be those who for varied reasons can't or won't fend for themselves. To not help them through the distribution of wealth by means of taxation simply means that most of them will cost all of us even more money as they use more destructive ways to get what they need and want. The rest will waste away on the streets. Neither is a better alternative to higher taxes.
I have proved countless times that the countries with the most social programs have an overall better standard of living than the U.S. I will concede that the U.S. boasts more billionaires than any other country, but it also has more crime, pollution, drug addicts, prostitutes, inmates, homeless and just about any other negative aspect a society can have. It is a fact that paying more in taxes makes for a more productive, enjoyable, happy, safer life for all. The numbers don't lie. Unless you're Enron, Worldcom, Ebbers, Madoff, etc.
It is not incongruent for a staunch conservative who believes that one should be responsible for his own well-being to also believe in higher taxes for the purpose of more distribution of wealth. You're not necessarily doing it for others. You will gain as much from it as anyone. In fact, you will gain more. Money for most people is easy to come by. Safety, security, a clean environment and a life rich with culture and fulfilment are the rewards you will reap when you don't force people who for whatever reasons can't or won't otherwise live by mainstream rules. For each penny you give them willingly, it's one less penny they won't have to stab you for, or burglarize your home or business for, and make you pay for their stay in prison for, etc. You will pay one way or another. The only question is whether you want to do it in a way that ensures relative peace in society or turmoil.
The argument that jurisdictions where gun control has been enacted shows little or no gun-related crime decline is due simply because guns are brought in from other places. Unless you make it extremely difficult to get guns at all, be ready to bury your child, grandchild or yourself from taking a stray bullet.
It's the same story with wealth. I believe it was Maryland that enacted a "Millionaire" law in an attempt to tax the rich a little more. Surprisingly (to some), suddenly the number of filers with income over one million dropped by about one third. They're still wondering what happened to all those millionaires. You can be sure that they didn't suddenly experience a huge drop in their income. Some left the state, some hid money and others more adept at wealth building than I, came up with other methods to stay one step ahead of the tax man.
You can't force people to take care of their own families let alone strangers. For some unGodly, truly unGodly, reason, a lot of Americans are under the mistaken notion that it is possible to keep almost all of their earned cash with no ramifications at all. Why do you think that the streets are riddled with crime, junkies, hos, homeless? Why do you think that individuals and businesses need to barricade their premises like fortresses and spend big bucks on security officers and systems? Why do you think the insurance corporations are among the biggest companies in the world? This all costs everyone a ton of money. These are just some examples of where much of our money goes because we adamantly stick to the principle "I earned my money and no one should take any of it and give it to someone else". Guess what. You are giving it to someone else--just not the ones who need it!
You're giving it to the companies who make the products or provide the services I mentioned above. Then there's the cost of crime prevention, detection, analysis, pursuit, prosecution, incarceration, rehabilitation, etc. My dear, misguided soul--get it through your head and go forth and teach others that to a point, the less tax you pay, the more it costs you. There will always be those who for varied reasons can't or won't fend for themselves. To not help them through the distribution of wealth by means of taxation simply means that most of them will cost all of us even more money as they use more destructive ways to get what they need and want. The rest will waste away on the streets. Neither is a better alternative to higher taxes.
I have proved countless times that the countries with the most social programs have an overall better standard of living than the U.S. I will concede that the U.S. boasts more billionaires than any other country, but it also has more crime, pollution, drug addicts, prostitutes, inmates, homeless and just about any other negative aspect a society can have. It is a fact that paying more in taxes makes for a more productive, enjoyable, happy, safer life for all. The numbers don't lie. Unless you're Enron, Worldcom, Ebbers, Madoff, etc.
It is not incongruent for a staunch conservative who believes that one should be responsible for his own well-being to also believe in higher taxes for the purpose of more distribution of wealth. You're not necessarily doing it for others. You will gain as much from it as anyone. In fact, you will gain more. Money for most people is easy to come by. Safety, security, a clean environment and a life rich with culture and fulfilment are the rewards you will reap when you don't force people who for whatever reasons can't or won't otherwise live by mainstream rules. For each penny you give them willingly, it's one less penny they won't have to stab you for, or burglarize your home or business for, and make you pay for their stay in prison for, etc. You will pay one way or another. The only question is whether you want to do it in a way that ensures relative peace in society or turmoil.
Saturday 31 January 2009
Ripped from the headlines
I saw a headline for this story on the TV listings channel and then hopped over to my PC to find the full story.
A homeless man who couldn't find a warm place to spend the night was rudely awakened by police in the bank lobby he was was catching Z's in. As punishment for his crime, he was sentenced to 30 days in a larger, warmer room, this one with free meal service. I'll bet he won't want to go through that ordeal again.
The Story.
A homeless man who couldn't find a warm place to spend the night was rudely awakened by police in the bank lobby he was was catching Z's in. As punishment for his crime, he was sentenced to 30 days in a larger, warmer room, this one with free meal service. I'll bet he won't want to go through that ordeal again.
The Story.
Saturday 10 January 2009
Vehicular Assault
Yesterday morning at 9:00 a.m., I moved my car from my building's parking lot to allow it to be cleared of snow (the lot, not the car). I parked my car across the street at a busy shopping mall. I would find out at about 4 p.m. that I had left the vehicle unlocked all day long.
As I approached the car, I noticed right away that the driver's door lock was in the raised position. I was very uneasy as I got in and checked my console and glove box, almost expecting to see something was missing. Though there was nothing of value, anyway, I breathed a sigh of relief that no one had disturbed the sanctity of my car.
If you've never had your car or home ransacked, you wouldn't know the ugly feeling of violation. It's sort of how I imagine a woman would feel after being sexually assaulted, but of course, far, far less devastating. But the thought of some low life who probably has b.o. and bad breath along with a wanton disregard for anybody's property or feelings going through your personal stuff is not a pleasant one.
There was a time when my vehicle would get broken into on a regular basis. I lost jewellery, a briefcase with personal papers inside, and even had my wire wheel covers stolen. When you first discover the crime, you feel like you could kill the bastard if he were right there.
Anyway, the absence of criminal activity on this day made me think of Michael Moore in Bowling For Columbine where he found a number of homes with unlocked doors in downtown Toronto, and commented on the contrast between Canadian and U.S. cities. I don't buy that large Canadian cities are filled with angels as Moore would have everyone believe, but it was a pleasant surprise that even in a busy shopping mall parking lot just outside Toronto, with hordes of young people from nearby schools coming and going, my open vehicle remained unsoiled by strangers' hands.
As I approached the car, I noticed right away that the driver's door lock was in the raised position. I was very uneasy as I got in and checked my console and glove box, almost expecting to see something was missing. Though there was nothing of value, anyway, I breathed a sigh of relief that no one had disturbed the sanctity of my car.
If you've never had your car or home ransacked, you wouldn't know the ugly feeling of violation. It's sort of how I imagine a woman would feel after being sexually assaulted, but of course, far, far less devastating. But the thought of some low life who probably has b.o. and bad breath along with a wanton disregard for anybody's property or feelings going through your personal stuff is not a pleasant one.
There was a time when my vehicle would get broken into on a regular basis. I lost jewellery, a briefcase with personal papers inside, and even had my wire wheel covers stolen. When you first discover the crime, you feel like you could kill the bastard if he were right there.
Anyway, the absence of criminal activity on this day made me think of Michael Moore in Bowling For Columbine where he found a number of homes with unlocked doors in downtown Toronto, and commented on the contrast between Canadian and U.S. cities. I don't buy that large Canadian cities are filled with angels as Moore would have everyone believe, but it was a pleasant surprise that even in a busy shopping mall parking lot just outside Toronto, with hordes of young people from nearby schools coming and going, my open vehicle remained unsoiled by strangers' hands.
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