Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 38
Paragraph- Paragraph text
- Persons living in poverty are also disproportionately subjected to police powers to impose anti-social behaviour and move-on orders, and public safety laws allowing police to "stop and search" individuals. These measures are often wide-reaching and subject to considerable discretion on the part of police officers, who make subjective judgements that do not need to meet a high burden of proof. Overwhelmingly, these regulations are targeted at the marginalized and most vulnerable and the areas and communities in which they live. Of persons living in poverty, those subject to multiple forms of discrimination are even more frequently targeted. These measures respond to and reinforce discriminatory attitudes about the likelihood of persons living in poverty partaking in criminal activity, and perpetuate the stigmatization of poverty. For example, in one country, rules for the use of the capital city metro allow police to remove people who are disturbing other passengers by, inter alia, wearing "filthy clothing".
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
- Paragraph type
- Other
- Paragraph number
- 38
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