The average American is captured on a closed-circuit television camera 200 times a day, according to a major documentary on the subject of hidden security.
For students, around 25 percent of that may occur during school.
The cameras set up in and around Penn Manor High School can record a student almost 50 times a day, and the cameras also cover the sports fields and streets surrounding the grounds, according to school resource officer, Jason Hottenstein.
Most of Penn Manor’s cameras were received through a donation, and while there are currently no plans to add more, upgraded models are being eyed, according to Hottenstein.
The number of cameras in Lancaster city currently outweighs those in larger cities, like Boston and San Francisco, and recently, Lancaster’s cameras made national news, and was named “The most watched city in the U.S.”
The problem is, a record of the event is excellent evidence, but the threat of a record is a poor deterrent.
These camera systems are not always effective at preventing theft and violence. The CCTV system of Baltimore city is being dismantled because, according to the state attorney’s office, “We have not used any footage to resolve a violent-crime case.”
In other words, Big Brother isn’t doing his job.
And even though students might feel “watched,” they should count themselves lucky; cameras in dressing rooms and public restrooms are legal in 37 states, Pennsylvania included.
In fact, security cameras are now so common, 2009 saw the release of a docu-fiction titled Look, billed as “the ultimate look at our big brother world.” It is shot entirely through CCTV footage.
by Kennedy Phillips
“And even though students might feel “watched,” they should count themselves lucky; cameras in dressing rooms and public restrooms are legal in 37 states, Pennsylvania included.”
How should they count themselves as lucky? How is being watched in the bathroom or changing room lucky?
I hope that was a typo…
I wasn’t aware that the normal PMTV received a rating. Is it no higher than TV-Y7? Because if it isn’t than my mommy won’t let me watch and I will need to be dismissed from class while it airs.
Of course it wasn’t. Most people (like Kennedy and myself) thank our lucky stars every single time we see a camera watching us when we’re changing.
Um…no, Annon, I mean that we’re lucky because there can be cameras in the bathrooms, but there obviously aren’t.
Well, if I didn’t catch that, but it was implied. Not many others will catch that…
I caught it, but I guess it’s because I have an IQ above 40.
I heard before that we are one of the most watched cities..I don’t understand why. It’s weird though..all the camera stuff is creepy.