Policing and detention
Media and commentary related to our work to provide critical oversight of NSW Police, prisons and youth detention centres, to protect human rights and ensure fair and lawful treatment.
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NSW Police are not closing the gap
A report by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) into the NSW Police policing and engagement with Aboriginal people and communities is critical of the force’s failure to take seriously its obligations to Close the Gap and reduce Aboriginal over-representation in the criminal justice system. Jonathon Hunyor, CEO of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, joined…
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Closing the Gap targets would lead to ‘competing duties’: NSW Police Commissioner
The report also confirmed Aboriginal people continue to be significantly over-represented in the application of the Suspect Targeting Management Plan (STMP). Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) has called for reform on the “harmful” STMP programme, including stopping its use on children and youths. PIAC argue once a person is placed on the STMP, they are…
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NSW Police urged to do more in Closing the Gap
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre said in a statement that the LECC’s report ’emphasises that NSW Police need to do more to reduce the stark overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in contact with the criminal justice system.’ The LECC’s review highlighted Aboriginal people are overrepresented in the use of Suspect Target Management Plans, a tool deployed…
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Police must act to close the gap: LECC report highlights discriminatory policing
A new report from police oversight body the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) emphasises that NSW Police need to do more to reduce the stark overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in contact with the criminal justice system. The NSW Police Force Aboriginal Strategic Direction 2018-2023 monitoring report highlights several areas where NSW Police have failed to…
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2SER: Reforming responses to the mental health crisis
Recent incidents have highlighted the lethal consequences of police responses to mental health crisis, with four fatal incidents in the last four months. Each of the four deaths occurred during interactions with NSW Police. The most recent was the case of Krista Kach, who was tasered and shot with bean bag rounds after police were…
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‘Bullet to the heart’: Grieving parents call for mental health role in police response
This week a letter signed by more than 80 of the state’s most respected advocates, obtained by the Herald, will ask Premier Chris Minns to urgently fund mental health workers to join police on the frontline. Camilla Pandolfini, Redfern Legal Centre CEO and a signatory to the letter, told the Herald “mental health is a health issue that…
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Legal Academics, experts, and advocates issue an open letter urging the NSW Government to implement mental health policing reforms.
Legal Academics, legal experts, and social justice advocates representing community legal centres, legal services and organisations, law faculties, and advocacy groups have collectively signed an open letter (PDF on Redfern Legal Centre website) calling on the NSW Government to fund trained mental health experts as first responders to mental health crises. Among the 85-plus signatories…
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Freedom of information win exposes need for reform
We supported a client to get access to information held by the government, using freedom of information processes.
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Joint letter to Queensland Government regarding suspension of Human Rights Act
PIAC joined Change The Record and more than 180 human rights and legal experts, social justice organisations and First Nations community groups in signing an open letter condemning the Queensland government for overriding the state’s Human Rights Act in order to detain children in state police watch houses indefinitely. Dear Premier Palaszczuk and Minister Ryan,…
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Jailbaby urges justice reform
PIAC was thrilled to host a special performance of Jailbaby and conversation with award-winning playwright Suzie Miller at Griffin Theatre Company recently. Jailbaby tells the story of two young Australian men, Seth and AJ, treated unequally by the institutions they come up against because of their different backgrounds . The play details how class and…