Knife Related Crimes

Knife Related Crimes

Members of the Australian privacy foundation. I would like to ask you a question…. How would you like it, if a fat old man with a badge decided to strip search you…and there was NOTHING you could do about it?

With an Alleged-growing knife culture in Melbourne, authorities have found a new way to make this situation a reality. The Victorian police see this ‘growing knife culture’ as an invitation to give police more powers, at the cost our rights. This includes the power to strip search any civilian at almost any time in almost any location.

The police justify this action by saying that Melbourne is become less safe day-by-day. I am going to discuss if Melbourne’s so called knife culture is fact or fiction and why their solution is infact extremely dangerous and disturbing.

Over the past five years many studies have been conducted, and infact none of these show a growth in knife related assaults. In-fact since 2005 there has been a two percent decrease in knife related assaults and stabbings, it seems that they have just been highlighted in the media. What needs to be tackled is not searching random’s for knifes, but to stop the source, and change the image of having possession of a knife.

Throughout the course of history conflicts have started from one thing, the abuse of power. In many country’s Police abuse their powers, now I’m not saying that Australia’s police force is as unstable as Cuba’s, But what these new laws do is affect the Australian citizens view of police. It makes them less approachable, and more feared.

Giving the police the power to strip search someone when ever they want, leads to many problems, like sexual assault. Although most officers in our police force would not abuse the right, there is a minority that could abuse the use of this law. There are many examples of corrupt cops through out Australia, whether it be the Armed Defenders Squad or the case of Mark Skyjel. Giving police powers to potentially sexually assault...

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