A guard closes a portable gate at USC under the new security precautions. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

CurbedLA has just put up a pretty interesting piece on USC’s new security measures. The post brings up some interesting points, including the idea that in adding security USC is sacrificing the best aspects of an urban campus.

Here’s the link: USC Is Pretty Much A Locked Down Panopticon At This Point

I also think it would be remiss to discuss these new security measures without also bringing up their negative effects on the outside community, particularly young people of color. Earlier this year, Sahra Sulaiman at LA StreetsBlog wrote a powerful two-part series investigating racial profile and security in the University Park community. I highly recommend both pieces: A Tale of Two Communities: New Security Measures at USC Intensify Profiling of Lower-Income Youth of Color and A Tale of Two Communities, Part II: LAPD Finds It Stirred Up Hornets’ Nest by Profiling Students of Color

 What do you think? Are all of these security measures actually keeping us safer? And at what cost?