Post by timelady on Aug 5, 2006 0:29:01 GMT
Two examples this week of policing at its finest?
A group of youngsters has fallen foul of the law for playing hopscotch.
West Midlands Police community support officers asked parents in Spring Street in Halesowen to remove chalk markings after complaints about them.
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_midlands/5233262.stm
Children arrested, DNA tested, interrogated and locked up... for playing in a tree
To the 12-year-old friends planning to build themselves a den, the cherry tree seemed an inviting source of material.
But the afternoon adventure turned into a frightening ordeal for Sam Cannon, Amy Higgins and Katy Smith after they climbed into the 20ft tree - then found themselves hauled into a police station and locked in cells for up to two hours.
Their shoes were removed and mugshots, DNA samples and mouth swabs were taken.
www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=397240&in_page_id=1766&in_a_source=&ito=1490
I think the second article is perhaps the more frightening. With the first one, over zealous police stop children playing traditionally. However, with the second, they arrest, and most disturbingly, DNA swab 12 year olds.
Leaving obvious reactions aside such as why the police aren't more focused on more obvious crime solving, rather than stopping traditional childish pursuits? Or even a question as to what is acceptable for children nowadays in an increasingly paranoid society that is both frightened for, and of, children?
Let us discuss how a society gets to a stage where our law keepers have a right, a mandate, a NEED to DNA test 12 year old children. Where are we heading with this kind of record keeping? What use can it serve? What about privacy? How long will these children have their DNA kept?
Disturbing indeed.
There is a trend to create miniature adults of children - in eating habits, dress, behaviour, in targeted advertising, and now in punishment. And then we are horrified when they behave like miniature thugs, when the early sexualisation of children in dress and behaviour (seen the frightening children talent shows???) is balanced by the fear of paedophilia.
A group of youngsters has fallen foul of the law for playing hopscotch.
West Midlands Police community support officers asked parents in Spring Street in Halesowen to remove chalk markings after complaints about them.
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_midlands/5233262.stm
Children arrested, DNA tested, interrogated and locked up... for playing in a tree
To the 12-year-old friends planning to build themselves a den, the cherry tree seemed an inviting source of material.
But the afternoon adventure turned into a frightening ordeal for Sam Cannon, Amy Higgins and Katy Smith after they climbed into the 20ft tree - then found themselves hauled into a police station and locked in cells for up to two hours.
Their shoes were removed and mugshots, DNA samples and mouth swabs were taken.
www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=397240&in_page_id=1766&in_a_source=&ito=1490
I think the second article is perhaps the more frightening. With the first one, over zealous police stop children playing traditionally. However, with the second, they arrest, and most disturbingly, DNA swab 12 year olds.
Leaving obvious reactions aside such as why the police aren't more focused on more obvious crime solving, rather than stopping traditional childish pursuits? Or even a question as to what is acceptable for children nowadays in an increasingly paranoid society that is both frightened for, and of, children?
Let us discuss how a society gets to a stage where our law keepers have a right, a mandate, a NEED to DNA test 12 year old children. Where are we heading with this kind of record keeping? What use can it serve? What about privacy? How long will these children have their DNA kept?
Disturbing indeed.
There is a trend to create miniature adults of children - in eating habits, dress, behaviour, in targeted advertising, and now in punishment. And then we are horrified when they behave like miniature thugs, when the early sexualisation of children in dress and behaviour (seen the frightening children talent shows???) is balanced by the fear of paedophilia.
