In Greek mythology, Panacea was a goddess of universal remedy, using a single potion to heal the sick. Today the term is also used figuratively to describe something capable of completely solving a large, complex problem — like crime. Those of us in the security industry might want to think of security as a panacea, a powerful remedy to help prevent crime. However, research does not prove that it is. “[Security]… is not a panacea,” caution the authors of “Measuring the Effects of Video Surveillance on Crime in Los Angeles,” prepared for the California Research Bureau, May 2008.

Instead, a closer look at the research and industry opinions displays a complex relationship between security and crime where security is more likened to a tool, one tool in a toolbox of crime prevention strategies that also includes law enforcement and social programs.