David Porter, from the Redfern Legal Service, told New Matilda that over-policing remains a contributing factor in "tension between disaffected youth and police forces". He says performance targets set for police "actively encourage the use of ‘move on’ powers and personal searches … in relation to the use of move on powers they’re looking to meet their targets, or even exceed them."
"The most exposed members of the community — young people who hang out in public places, homeless people — [are]easy targets for proactive crime strategies in circumstances where it may not be a productive use of police resources," he says.
View the full article here (New Matilda, 12 August 2011)
