There was a study in New Jersey which appears to be fairly accurate on this issue. The study found that the vast majority of Red Light Camera tickets were for people who made a right turn on red and only stopped for a couple seconds rather than the required number of seconds. It definitely wasn’t people blowing through red lights going straight. Its a complete scam no matter where its implemented.
We have two of them across the street from the fire station where I work. Both of them are designed strictly to get people making “free right turns”. If you stop, but not behind the white line... you get a ticket. If you stop behind the white line but do not wait longer than 5 seconds before you creep forward to see around the cars in the left lanes... you get a ticket.
How many accidents were casued by right turners before the cameras were installed? None, that I am aware of. The light is one of those which stays red for an unreasonable amount of time when no one is coming also. It has been a huge cash cow for the city.