"It's not a panacea, but I think because cell phones are ubiquitous, it's going to give another option for saving people's lives," said Doug Ferguson, a professor of communication at the College of Charleston. http://www.lowcountrynewspapers.net/archive/node/174976  

But other research, including some written by economist Douglas Walker at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, argues that crime rates around casinos would stay the same or actually be reduced if number-crunchers accounted for the influx of tourists in addition to the people who live near the casino. http://www.ohio.com/news/122852113.html