The AIC has released new research on perceptions among people who use drugs of whether police treat people fairly and make impartial decisions. The study uses Global Drug Survey data to compare the perceptions of drug users in Australia and in 29 other countries. The research was carried out by academics from Flinders University, RMIT University, University of Queensland, University of Sheffield, University of California and University College London.
- Most respondents (58-60%) said that police frequently or somewhat frequently respect people's rights and make decisions based upon the law and facts.
- However, a similar proportion of respondents (58%) said police frequently or somewhat frequently pick and choose how they enforce the drug laws, and 57 percent said police frequently or somewhat frequently abuse their authority over people they suspect have broken the law.
- Based on a composite measure combining eight indicators of procedural justice, Australia ranked 15th out of 30 countries for the perceived procedural justness of its police among people who use drugs.
Full report: Building procedural justice in street-level drug law enforcement: An Australian and cross-national analysis
Trends & issues summary: Building procedural justice in Australian street-level drug law enforcement
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