Publication of photos by PSNI criticised

The PSNI's controversial tactic of publishing photos of children they want to question infringes their rights and must be avoided…

The PSNI's controversial tactic of publishing photos of children they want to question infringes their rights and must be avoided, the North's Policing Board has warned.

The "retrograde" practice leaves youths open to vigilante attacks and can label them as a troublemakers in their community before they have even faced a court, according to the board’s Human Rights committee.

The committee said only in the most extreme circumstances, such as when a young person poses a threat to the public, can it be justified.

The police issued photographs of young suspects in the wake of last summer’s rioting at Ardoyne in north Belfast and has distributed leaflets in Derry containing images of youths they want to question.

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The PSNI has defended the policy as “proportionate and lawful”.

The criticism from the board is one of a number contained in the committee’s thematic review of policing with children and young people published today.

The 140-page report, which took 18 months to compile, also recommended that Asbos should no longer be issued to under-18s.

The committee found that the Asbos did not work and unduly stigmatise the recipients.

Last week, Justice Minister David Ford announced that he was to re-examine the use of Asbos in Northern Ireland.

The committee’s review, which gathered evidence from young people and agencies working with them, claimed that society automatically blamed young people for anti-social behaviour, when that is often not the case.

It found that while police had done good work to engage with young people and found innovative ways to tackle youth crime, there was no consistency of approach across Northern Ireland, with successful local PSNI projects not rolled out.

PA