Often, when a property is trying to address an issue such as vandalism or trespassing, the go-to answer is to simply install a camera. likely that you have some of them in place. Regardless of what you call these items, a plaintiff's attorney in a security-related matter will identify these items and will use them to establish the existence of a security program at your property. Simply saying you do not have a security program will not afford you or your property protection. FACT Fiction: or "PLACING A CAMERA IN AN AREA WILL STOP THE PROBLEM AND DETER CRIME." Often, when a property is trying to address an issue such as vandalism or trespassing, the go-to answer is to simply install a camera. The thinking is the offender will see the camera and their behavior will be deterred. Aside from the academic studies that clearly show the presence of a video camera alone does not deter crime, I would suggest that the high number of incidents captured by video cameras that are in plain sight and which are played back daily on the news and on the internet would support the notion that most problems need to be addressed in more ways than just simply placing a camera into service. For example, a trespassing problem may ultimately be resolved using several methods to include changes in lighting, signage, resident awareness and possibly changes to the physical environment and landscape. A singlepronged approach will very seldom be the answer. June 2019 CONDOMEDIA 23