Commonwealth agrees to settle with more than 120 Indonesians wrongly detained as adult people smugglers, some when they were as young as 12

  • DogMuffins
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    1 year ago

    I disagree. The police should have very, very little discretion as regards deciding whether to prosecute. Where a crime has been committed, the reasons not to prosecute should basically be limited to a lack of evidence, or procedural issues. If the court has shown a willingness to allow this x-ray evidence then the police should not have discretion not to use it.

    Police apply the law, the populace ensures the law is ethical.

    • Quokka@quokk.au
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      1 year ago

      Do you think any time a crime has been committed, every suspect should be locked up until it can be proven they’re not guilty by a court?

      That’s a fucked view mate.

      • DogMuffins
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        1 year ago

        Sorry mate I think you might have misunderstood what I’m trying to say.

        In my view, police should be procedural, they should not be making decisions about what’s fair or appropriate - the law (and by extension police procedures) decides what’s fair and appropriate.

        A police force running around using discretion to “do the right thing” is unable to avoid corruption, profiling, nepotism and prejudice - all the hallmarks of an unjust constabulary.

        every suspect should be locked up

        No, obviously you only charge suspects when you have sufficient evidence, evidence which courts have established is sufficient.

        • abhibeckert@beehaw.org
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          1 year ago

          Those 12 year old kids were not running a people smuggling operation. They were clearly victims not suspects.

          Kids can definitely commit crimes, for example if they’re caught driving 140km/h on a residential street in a stolen car… absolutely detain the kid.

          But even then, you don’t detail them for years. You detain them overnight, and you prosecute immediately (after, obviously, letting the kid talk to their parents and a lawyer).

          • DogMuffins
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            1 year ago

            Goodness me.

            Those 12 year old kids were not running a people smuggling operation.

            This is true of course, but they were caught in the act of people smuggling, so they need to be processed according to the law. The people of Australia elect representatives which create Legislation. The police do not and should not have the authority or discretion to choose which laws they apply.