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Convincing? Brainless? Don't know?

Monday, 10 March 2014

Last week we published a piece by Professor Tim Hope, which called for the abolition of the uniformed police service.

Tim wrote:

'The case for Police Abolitionism is derived from the ethical and moral principles of abolitionism often voiced with regard to penal institutions. In our contemporary world, a uniformed police cannot be a civil society institution; yet genuine control and prevention of crime is only achievable through the institutions of civil society, since the harms of crime are suffered by powerless citizens.'

He went on to argue that 'the uniformed police service should merge thoroughly with the community health, ambulance and fire services to become a harm-response service'. He also argued that appropriate state investigatory agencies would need to be established. And finally:

'the maintenance of public order and safety should also fall within the capability of a civil harm-response service. Those political liberties upon which the police were founded did not sanction paramilitary force, nor do we need it now.'

Tim's article drew a mixed reaction on Twitter.

'Convincing', tweeted Patrick Williams

'Brainless', Steve Hall wrote

Peter Neyroud was left checking the calendar

Guy Woolnough didn't know what to think

What do you think?

Check out Tim's article and tweet your reaction using the #justicematters hashtag.


Read other contributions in the 'I would give up' series.