Officials with the Philadelphia School District are crediting the installation of hundreds of security cameras throughout the district for a substantial drop in crime throughout its schools. According to a report released Jan. 19, serious infractions involving Philadelphia students dropped more than 10 percent for the first four months of the school year.
From September to December, there were 307 fewer offences (2,604) reported than in the same period for 2004 (2,911). The crimes counted include assaults, drug and alcohol offenses, abductions, attempted abductions, fires, morals offenses, robberies, and weapons offenses.
The district’s Chief Executive Paul Vallas says the installation of more than 900 surveillance cameras helped the schools cut down on crime. The cameras were installed in 60 of the district’s highest-risk campuses.
