California has recently increased the number of red-light cameras posted at busy intersections in many urban locations. These cameras are connected to computers positioned at various points at street intersections. Their express purpose is to catch people in the act of entering an intersection after a red light has been triggered. The problem, however, is that the cameras are not people and they are designed not to prevent crime or to increase safety, but specifically to generate income for the municipality. While this is not the stated purpose, the fact that so many camera cases are found to be unprosecutable when put under scrutiny, it seems that the cities using these cameras simply count on enough people not fighting the tickets and thus generating as much as $350 per violation. It is the intent of this paper to examine the technology, implementation, and ultimate fallibility of the red-light camera system.
