NCJ Number
233604
Date Published
December 2010
Length
104 pages
Annotation
This report from the Australian Crime and Misconduct Commission examines the use of police move-on powers by the Queensland police.
Abstract
Key findings in this report include: the vast majority of people moved on were adults, primarily in the 17 to 24 age group; peak usage of the powers occurred on weekends, in warmer months, and in entertainment hotspots; Indigenous people were significantly more likely to receive a move-on direction than non-Indigenous people; and that most people who disobeyed a move-on direction were arrested. This report examines the use of move-on powers by the Queensland Police Service. The move-on powers are intended to give the police services the power to respond to antisocial behavior, thus leading to improved perceptions of community safety. Official data from four-time periods were analyzed in this review to examine the use of the directive: 1 year prior to and 1 year following statewide expansion of the powers, 2 years after expansion, 33 months after expansion, and 2 years prior to and 2 years after statewide expansion of the powers. The review examined three key questions: how are police using move-on powers, what role do move-on powers play in policing public order, and what is guiding or influencing the use of move-on powers. Following an examination of the data, the report lists 11 recommendations for providing legislative and policy changes for the use of move-on powers by the police. Figures, tables, appendixes, and references