Originally published on OpenIllinois.

by Michael Szpindor Watson

The Illinois Review published an article about citizens of Dundee taking on stop-light cameras, which have been incredible sources of revenue for both government and the firms contracted to operate the cameras. Advocates of transparency have concerns about the murky process of determining the offense, collection of the fine, and the ability to challenge the charge:

Other local activists are also concerned that these fines are hard to challenge. Recipients of camera fines are not allowed to confront their accuser nor view the service records of the machines and Illinois state law has no required performance standards or maintenance guidelines for these cameras. Because these fines are not technically a criminal act, the municipality can waive motorists' right to a jury trial and other legal protections.

If stop-light cameras are beneficial for public safety (many criticize they are not), government should provide a clear and straightforward process for understanding the offense, challenging the offense, and finding any contracts or service records associated with stop-light cameras. This will help citizens determine the effectiveness of stop-light cameras and shine more light into a currently shady process, which lacks accountability and public trust.