More surveillance.

24 Oct, 2005

Nicolas Sarkozy, the French minister of the interior, has suggested installing a video surveillance system in problematic city suburbs as a way of combating juvenile delinquency. During a visit to Perpignan, where five months ago violent inter-community street fighting ended in two lives being lost, the minister announced that the first such system of closed circuit television cameras would be set up in Perpignan.

265,000 has already been allotted to finance the surveillance system, which will serve as a a test case for the national project Sarkozy will be presenting to the French parliament in November of this year.

One of the problem areas of Perpignan will be given three specialist educators as well as a community meeting place to be co-financed by the state.

The minister also announced the creation of a juvenile delinquency prevention squad within the police force.