IN-CJ Newsdesk 2023 – Australian Perspectives on Policing and Vulnerability
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In this session from the IN-CJ Newsdesk 2023, Dr Matthew Morgan and Dr Shannon Dodd discussed some recent high-profile cases involving police use of fatal force on people with mental illness and cognitive diversity. They reflect on whether these events were caused by inadequate police training and/or a toxic police culture. Matthew and Shannon drew upon recent research from a regional town in Australia, regarding car theft and joyriding by young First Nations males.
This IN-CJ Newsdesk session examined how policing in Australia interacts with vulnerable populations, and the systemic issues that arise when police are positioned as first responders to social and health crises.
The discussion was grounded in recent high-profile cases that raised public concern: the tasering of 95-year-old dementia patient Clare Nowland, and the fatal police shooting of a 29-year-old Indigenous man with mental health issues. Both incidents prompted widespread debate about training, the use of force, and whether police are the right agency to respond in such situations.
Contributors noted the contradictions in police training. Officers are taught to use communication as a first tactic, yet also to escalate quickly to weapons when knives or other threats are involved. These conflicting expectations leave officers vulnerable to error and increase risks for vulnerable individuals.
The discussion extended to corrections research, which shows that people with cognitive and intellectual disabilities are frequently imprisoned, often without appropriate identification or support. Many rely on informal peer help, leaving them highly vulnerable within prison systems.
A youth justice case study from Townsville provided a contrasting example of proactive intervention. A programme combining education, mentoring, and practical workshops such as panel beating was designed to address youth joyriding, rebuild trust between young people and police, and offer alternatives to detention.
Overall, the session highlighted that punitive, reactive approaches – police pursuit, detention, and force – are expensive and counterproductive. More effective are community-centred, inter-agency responses that prioritise prevention, support, and long-term engagement.
This Newsdesk discussion called for a rethinking of the role of police in responding to vulnerability, emphasising that justice and safety are best served when collaborative and humane approaches replace reactive enforcement.
Listen to the full discussion in IN-CJ Newsdesk 2023 – Australian Perspectives on Policing and Vulnerability.
