Video surveillance footage of crimes committed on the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) service by minority youths is being withheld by San Francisco authorities due to their concern that the videos might perpetuate racial bias and stereotyping.
In three months time, at least three robberies have transpired at the San Francisco station by groups of teenagers. One such attack, on April 22, was committed by some 40-60 teens, reportsKPXI-TV.
“I think people are genuinely concerned — they are fearful about the stories that have come out about the recent attacks, the assaults, the thefts,” explained a member of the BART board of directors, Debora Allen.
Yet, authorities are refusing to release footage of the crimes.
So, when Allen pressed for the rationale behind withholding the important evidence from the public, she was eventually told the release of the videos “would create a racial bias in the riders against minorities on the trains.”
But being a victim of crime by minority youth won't? Many years ago, I worked with a guy who became a raving racist after three black men broke in and gang-raped his wife, then stole everything in their home, including wedding pictures. (What fence will take those?)
The cure is to routinize getting all the footage, all the time so by the time they figure out they need to cover up something a copy is already out of their hands.
ReplyDeleteYes, this has a cost. People who are denied information like this will eventually fund it.
Lets see: The lawyers for the Perps now call for the videos on the grounds said videos will prove their clients innocence. But for the reason just mentioned the video's are not released. The attorney's then file for dismissal on the grounds the State is with holding evidence from the court and the defense attorneys.
ReplyDeleteIt all goes back to the article you mentioned the other day on Afghan males in europe. When its happening repeatedly and it involves either a certain race, nationality, or religion, the shear mass of events will eventually force its disclosure. And the cover-up, no matter how well intended, will prove to be even more damaging then an earlier disclosure. But then again, there may be even more cover-ups: these are just the ones that have reached critical mass.