The Meadows is a strange place, it is relatively busy at all times but this doesn't stop the occasional atrocity and regular lesser crimes. Unfortunately it has always been a hunting ground for the local undesirables as the large numbers of students are seen as an easy target for muggings or even more despicable acts.
20 years ago I was accosted at knife point by a couple of youths there. When they realised I had a scottish accent they came on like best pals though. Surreal and scary especially considering that although it was very late there were plenty of other people around.
Although I believe CCTV can be a useful tool it isn't the answer in this case. How could you effectively cover an area the size of the meadows? Much better would be to have actual police "walking the beat". That would have an obvious and instant effect on crime in the area. Surely that could be done for high risk areas like this, and not just as a knee jerk reaction but consistently.
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