Sabrina Spencer

Mr. Rogers
Government 5
10-23-15
Transportation Surveillance Act
There are currently no laws concerning security cameras in public transportation, even
though there is an abundant amount of proof that security cameras are very helpful for most
people. Criminals find security cameras very off-putting, cameras also make it easier to find and
prosecute them. People go into public spaces expecting and thinking that they are entitled to
privacy; in reality nobody should ever have any expectation of privacy. Even though passengers
on public transportation should have no expectation of privacy, they should have an expectation
of being the safest possible. Companies don't really put the safety of their passengers in a very
high regard, when they really should. Security cameras are not just for the people that take public
transportation, transportation companies also benefit. Security cameras should be put in every
motor vehicle regulated by the Department of Transportation, because it makes criminals easy to
find and prosecute, along with being off-putting to potential criminals, it is excellent for
companies that provide transportation, and it greatly improves passenger safety and security.
Criminal activity is always a large concern for people in public spaces, but the level of
concern goes up when in transportation. A small, enclosed space, that is not easy to escape out
of, is a scary thought for a lot of people. Criminals such as muggers and attackers are more likely
to commit a crime in a place with no visible cameras, than one with security cameras. Security
cameras can be very off-putting to somebody planning on committing a crime. "Through

surveillance cameras, the police can both prevent crimes from happening and can quickly solve
criminal cases with material evidence. In addition, surveillance cameras protect against property
theft, and vandalism,"(Role of CCTV Cameras : Public, Privacy and Protection) issues like theft
and vandalism are obviously large concerns for both passengers and transportation companies,
video cameras help to ease that fear. What happens when a criminal act is actually committed,
there is video evidence of what happened? One article wrote that, "Data suggests that CCTV
video surveillance is successful in reducing and preventing crimes and is helpful in prosecuting
individuals caught in the act of committing a crime,"(Public Video Surveillance: Is It An
Effective Crime Prevention Tool) in court cases it is almost impossible to fight against video
evidence, it also makes it much easier to identify criminals when they get away. This makes the
court system a little bit faster, along with law enforcement officers jobs easier too. There may
be cost savings for public law enforcement,(Public Video Surveillance: Is It An Effective Crime
Prevention Tool?). When law enforcement officers dont have to focus as much on things like
safety on transportation, they can spend their time on more important and demanding things. The
presence of video cameras in public transportation isnt just good for those working in law
enforcement and the court system; it is also good for those people working in the transportation
industry.
35 million times each weekday people board public transportation,(Facts at a Glance).
The transportation industry is an enormous, multibillion-dollar industry, The public
transportation industry employs nearly 400,000 people, 1.1 million jobs are created or sustained
per year because of public transportation, and over 7,100 organizations provide public
transportation in the United States,(Facts at a Glance). Public transportation is a large part of so
many peoples lives that it is very important that it can be the most safe that it can possibly be.

Security cameras dont just make people feel safer, it actually makes them safer. Security
cameras helptopreventcrimeanddetercriminals,itpreventsvandalism,createsasafer
environmentforpassengers,holdsemployeesaccountablefortheirresponsibilities,andreduces
liabilityincasesofpassengerinjuries,(Video Surveillance for Transportation). ). Because the
transportation industry is such a large industry, safety for its employees is a very high priority.
Video camera surveillance holds employees accountable and reduces passenger liability issues.
Eventhoughemployeesafetyisamajorpriority,passengersafetyisamuchlargerconcern.

Lowercriminalactivityisobviouslygoodforpassengerssafety,butseeingasecurity

cameraisproventoenhancepeoplessenseofsecurity.Oneonlinearticlewrote,People feel
safer in the knowledge that a potential mugger or attacker will be put-off by the presence of a
camera, (Role of CCTV Cameras : Public, Privacy and Protection). Another article wrote that,
By the year 2050, the U.S. population is expected to grow by more than 100 million people,
further straining public transportation infrastructure and putting pressure on the fastest-growing
communities ill-equipped to accommodate such growth.(GROW AMERICA: Supporting Safe,
Reliable Public Transportation). This expected increase in population, creates an increase in
crime rate, and an increase in safety risks. Security cameras lower the chance of muggings,
thefts, and attacks, because they make potential muggers and thieves second guess themselves
and question their future actions. Transformational transportation projects attract economic
development in rural and urban communities. For example, the Dallas region has attracted more
than $7 billion in economic activity,(GROW AMERICA: Supporting Safe, Reliable Public
Transportation). This article shows that a larger system of transportation in an area is very good
economically, because it brings more people to specific areas. Even though a grow in population
is good for an areas economy, it is not very good for an areas safety. More recent shifts in trends

point to the growing demand for public transportation, which led to the highest public
transportation ridership since 1956,(Public Transportation Use is Growing). The need for
security cameras is at an all time high, since public transportation ridership is at an all time high.
The safety of an area decreases when population increases, having video cameras in public
transportation would be such a great thing for passengers, employees, law enforcement, and
transportation companies.
A common debate against having security cameras in public places, especially
transportation, is that it is invasive, violating, and against the fourth amendment. The Fourth
Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the Bill of Rights that prohibits
unreasonable searches and seizures. People say that video cameras are an unreasonable search
that is invasive. When in public people should have no expectation of privacy. No cases have
been adjudicated under the Fourth Amendment testing the use of rotating video surveillance
cameras in a public setting, (Public Video Surveillance: Is It An Effective Crime Prevention
Tool?). Companies do not have to be worried about people being upset and suing over video
cameras. People should not be angry over being videotaped if they plan on doing nothing wrong,
having security cameras is only bad for criminals, for passengers and employees it only does
good. The protection of individuals from crime is a paramount concern of the state, and
legislatures have broad powers to protect communities from such harm,(Public Video
Surveillance: Is It An Effective Crime Prevention Tool?) security cameras are only in place to
improve the safety of the public. The safety and well being of the nation is a top priority of the
American government. For the first time in history, and after a hundred years of steady increase,
automobile driving is in decline. Younger Americans increasingly prefer active transportation
choices like walking or cycling and taking public transit, ride-shares or taxis,(Schwartz).

The downsides of security cameras are so small in comparison to the good that security
cameras do. Video evidence can be used in court cases, reduces liability, holds employees
accountable for their actions, and can make identify criminals easier. Just the presence of security
cameras can make people feel safer, and can be off-putting to criminals. The transportation
industry, one of the largest industries in the world can be improved so much concerning safety.
Security cameras are something that are so small and easy to install, that makes a massive
difference. Why should we keep putting people in unnecessary danger. Video surveillance
cameras should be installed in every vehicle regulated by the Department of Transportation.

Works Cited

"EPIC - Video Surveillance." EPIC - Video Surveillance. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct.
2015. <http://epic.org/privacy/surveillance/>.
"Facts at a Glance." Facts at a Glance. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.publictransportation.org/news/facts/pages/default.aspx>.
"GROW AMERICA: Supporting Safe, Reliable Public Transportation."
Department of Transportation. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2015.
<https://www.transportation.gov/grow-america/fact-sheets/transit>.
"Public Transportation." Public Transportation Use Is Growing. N.p., n.d. Web.
19 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.apta.com/mediacenter/ptbenefits/Pages/PublicTransportation-Use-is-Growing-.aspx>.
"Public Video Surveillance: Is It An Effective Crime Prevention Tool?" Public
Video Surveillance: Is It An Effective Crime Prevention Tool? N.p., n.d.
Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <http://www.library.ca.gov/crb/97/05/>.
"Role of CCTV Cameras : Public, Privacy and Protection - IFSEC Global." IFSEC
Global RSS. N.p., 31 Dec. 2013. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.
Schwartz, Samuel I., and William Rosen. Street Smart: The Rise of Cities and the Fall of Cars.
N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.