A Nation of Snitches
Discussion
Are we turning into a nation of snitches or something? Its almost Soviet style where people were encouraged to watch and report each other.
I mean, we have the benefits cheatline, surrey police antisocial driving line, now we have the revenues cheat line.
So - what snitch lines have I missed?
I mean, we have the benefits cheatline, surrey police antisocial driving line, now we have the revenues cheat line.
So - what snitch lines have I missed?
Surely it is part of being a good citizen to report a neighbour defrauding the state, and so defrauding US.
In today's paper was the story of a man caught by a tip off. He had been claiming incapacity benefits on the grounds he couldn't walk. Following the tip off, investigators filmed him running a half marathon. Did the person who reported him do something wrong?
In today's paper was the story of a man caught by a tip off. He had been claiming incapacity benefits on the grounds he couldn't walk. Following the tip off, investigators filmed him running a half marathon. Did the person who reported him do something wrong?
Tax Avoidance Line.
Benefit Cheat Line.
Terrorism Line.
Race/Hate Crime Line.
Drug Dealing Line.
Oh not to mention the community assistance officers that the met are advertising for on the tube whose role is to 'liase with the community and generally inform regular officers of anything suspicous in their community' i.e. paid informers
Benefit Cheat Line.
Terrorism Line.
Race/Hate Crime Line.
Drug Dealing Line.
Oh not to mention the community assistance officers that the met are advertising for on the tube whose role is to 'liase with the community and generally inform regular officers of anything suspicous in their community' i.e. paid informers
I remember an advertisement a year or two back where people where encouraged to shop in suspected drug dealers. The advert had a seemingly innocent man getting his family out of a nice house and putting them into a nice car, and then driving off. The advert advised people something like "Remember, even those who look innocent could very well be dealing drugs" or some other tosh.
But surely that's the point; if they look and seem innocent, then it's probably the case that they are. Why the hell would you shop them for suspected drug-dealing? Jealousy? Just because he's got a nice house, a nice car and a nice normal life, doesn't mean he a wrong 'un!
I think this new culture of annonymously shopping people for suspected stuff is just a load of crap. If it's bothering you that much then at least go and tell them your intentions first!
But surely that's the point; if they look and seem innocent, then it's probably the case that they are. Why the hell would you shop them for suspected drug-dealing? Jealousy? Just because he's got a nice house, a nice car and a nice normal life, doesn't mean he a wrong 'un!
I think this new culture of annonymously shopping people for suspected stuff is just a load of crap. If it's bothering you that much then at least go and tell them your intentions first!
ehyouwhat said:
But surely that's the point; if they look and seem innocent, then it's probably the case that they are. Why the hell would you shop them for suspected drug-dealing? Jealousy? Just because he's got a nice house, a nice car and a nice normal life, doesn't mean he a wrong 'un!
I think this new culture of annonymously shopping people for suspected stuff is just a load of crap. If it's bothering you that much then at least go and tell them your intentions first!
Because...linking nicely to the other Would You Give The Police Your DNA thread, if someone is detained on suspicion of something, then the police have the right to take a non-intimate sample (eg. mouth swab, which is the standard DNA sample) without your consent.
Could this have anything to do with it, I wonder...?
JagLover said:
Surely it is part of being a good citizen to report a neighbour defrauding the state, and so defrauding US.
In today's paper was the story of a man caught by a tip off. He had been claiming incapacity benefits on the grounds he couldn't walk. Following the tip off, investigators filmed him running a half marathon. Did the person who reported him do something wrong?
Thats not my point. (although I didn't exactly make one in the first place.)
My point is that the common man is being asked to police the system for the people who run the system, purely because the state has become unable to police itself.
"if we can't catch benefit cheats - then we'll ask the public to". "if we can't catch speeding drivers - we'll give the public radar guns and they can", "if we can't catch (insert another group here) then we'll ask joe public to do it for us".
As for the guy who ran a half marathon - here an idea for any benefits office - try a fire alarm drill occasionally. get the most infirm bunch of cretins who are claiming benefits - hit the fire button - let the bells go off - and shout FIRE. you could then use the CCTV in the building to prosecute huge numbers of fraudsters who just happened to be able to run for their lives.
Ecks Ridgehead said:
But surely that's the point; if they look and seem innocent, then it's probably the case that they are. Why the hell would you shop them for suspected drug-dealing? Jealousy? Just because he's got a nice house, a nice car and a nice normal life, doesn't mean he a wrong 'un!
I think this new culture of annonymously shopping people for suspected stuff is just a load of crap. If it's bothering you that much then at least go and tell them your intentions first!
Because...linking nicely to the other Would You Give The Police Your DNA thread, if someone is detained on suspicion of something, then the police have the right to take a non-intimate sample (eg. mouth swab, which is the standard DNA sample) without your consent.
Could this have anything to do with it, I wonder...?
Not fantastic though if you happen to be completely innocent. Assuming I was arrested under the suspicion of something, I'd at least expect there to be grounds other than having a lot of nice things.
tinman0 said:
Thats not my point. (although I didn't exactly make one in the first place.)
My point is that the common man is being asked to police the system for the people who run the system, purely because the state has become unable to police itself.
If we are relying on the state to catch them, then we will need armies of highly paid inspectors. It seems to me better to allow us to police ourselves by setting up tipping off lines. I do not see this as a second best solution, but a better one, engaging all of us in making society a better place.
tinman0 said:
As for the guy who ran a half marathon - here an idea for any benefits office - try a fire alarm drill occasionally. get the most infirm bunch of cretins who are claiming benefits - hit the fire button - let the bells go off - and shout FIRE. you could then use the CCTV in the building to prosecute huge numbers of fraudsters who just happened to be able to run for their lives.
Been watching 'The Office' recently?
JagLover said:
Thats not my point. (although I didn't exactly make one in the first place.)
My point is that the common man is being asked to police the system for the people who run the system, purely because the state has become unable to police itself.
If we are relying on the state to catch them, then we will need armies of highly paid inspectors. It seems to me better to allow us to police ourselves by setting up tipping off lines. I do not see this as a second best solution, but a better one, engaging all of us in making society a better place.
But don't you think its sad that the state has become so generous (in the case of benefits) that its unable to tell who is sincere and who isn't.
That the Police force is concentrating on mind games that they need the general public to help with the day to day stuff. (eg antisocial drivers and moronic speeding measures).
I'm not sure tip off lines are the best thing to be honest. What happens when someone starts using them maliciously? Lets face it - you could get the yellow ticket purely on a malicious report on the Surrey anti social line - and then you are looking down the barrel of having your car conviscated for something you haven't done.
ehyouwhat said:
But surely that's the point; if they look and seem innocent, then it's probably the case that they are. Why the hell would you shop them for suspected drug-dealing? Jealousy? Just because he's got a nice house, a nice car and a nice normal life, doesn't mean he a wrong 'un!
I think this new culture of annonymously shopping people for suspected stuff is just a load of crap. If it's bothering you that much then at least go and tell them your intentions first!
Because...linking nicely to the other Would You Give The Police Your DNA thread, if someone is detained on suspicion of something, then the police have the right to take a non-intimate sample (eg. mouth swab, which is the standard DNA sample) without your consent.
Could this have anything to do with it, I wonder...?
Not fantastic though if you happen to be completely innocent. Assuming I was arrested under the suspicion of something, I'd at least expect there to be grounds other than having a lot of nice things.
No, but my point was that as long as you are arrested on suspicion of something, the police are entitled to take a mouth swab DNA sample, even if you are not subsequently charged with anything, and any such sample may then be retained by the police and held in a database, whether you like it or not.
ehyouwhat said:
As for the guy who ran a half marathon - here an idea for any benefits office - try a fire alarm drill occasionally. get the most infirm bunch of cretins who are claiming benefits - hit the fire button - let the bells go off - and shout FIRE. you could then use the CCTV in the building to prosecute huge numbers of fraudsters who just happened to be able to run for their lives.
Been watching 'The Office' recently?
actually no, cant stand "The Office". why?
The stupid thing is, part of the tragedy of areas plagued by drug dealers and protection rackets is that the people who are in the know fear for their lives too much to make phone calls like that - they just don't trust the system enough to sufficiently protect them if they shopped a drug dealer. These adverts seemed aimed at do-gooder middle-class curtain-twitchers who want to feel like the Secret Seven or something. The reality of organised crime is that it's very well-informed to the point where people know they're better connected than the area's police.
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