Vulnerability and Policing

The discussion focuses on vulnerability and its intersection with police and policing.
The work of Asquith and Barcoviac Theron is helpful for understanding police practices.
Researchers conclude that police work has shifted from strict crime control to social service and welfare roles.
This shift is partly due to government austerity, which involves reducing spending on social services.
Thatcher's framework of first and second-order regulation is relevant: when social services are insufficient, police are often called as a last resort.
Police are available for 24/7 emergency response and are drawn into situations involving vulnerable people because other agencies lack resources or capability.
Thatcher states police respond to situations outside the competence of other social services.
Government austerity has made police the default agency to respond.
While some may critique this arrangement, it reflects the current practical reality.

Esquith and Barakowiak Theron suggest police respond due to the lack of other available agencies.
Bitner argues police have become monopolists of force, expected to solve situations using coercion.
Police respond to vulnerable people due to:
- Insufficient government resources.
- The perceived appropriateness of police involvement.
A vulnerable person is defined as an individual likely to experience harm due to their individual, social, or situational contexts.
Key to vulnerability: the inability to mitigate that harm.

Koiaktheron suggests a vulnerable person:
- Experiences something harmful.
- Cannot mitigate that harm.
Vulnerability can be temporary, such as with:
- Disaster victims (e.g., bushfire crisis).
- Victims of assault or sexual assault.
Permanent vulnerabilities exist, such as:
- Migrants from different cultures.
- Homeless individuals.
Vulnerability can be layered where different types of vulnerabilities combine such as:
- A disaster victim who is also homeless.
- A homeless person who experiences crime.
Vulnerability can be incremental, worsening over time.

Vulnerability can be apparent (visible) or hidden such as:
- Mental illness or emotional crises may not be immediately apparent.
Research indicates common issues related to over policing of vulnerable groups.
Increased surveillance by police may focus on potential victims, offenders, or harm in perceived problem areas.
Problem-oriented policing, if done incorrectly, can lead to over policing in specific areas.
Over policing can lead to over representation:
- Some groups become over represented in police interactions and the criminal justice system.
- There is an over representation of First Nations people in countries like Australia (see textbook pages 172-179).

Research is divided on whether over policing and over representation are deliberate or systemic.
Be cautious about overreaching when analyzing case studies, such as Flint Town.
The research might suggest deliberate or systemic issues, but it is not conclusive.
Hypotheses and theories can be proposed, but definitive conclusions should be avoided.
Be wary of overreaching in summations or summaries, especially in case studies.