To ask how the police justify giving words of advice and not arresting oeople

[Whatanoddthingtosay8]

even when it’s clear a crime has been committed

People* before anyone mocks me

You're going to have to be a lot more specific! Give an example. Because I can think of a lot of reasons why arrest isn't always appropriate.

They haven't got the holding cells and/or the CPS won't pursue it or the sentence would be a joke. However sometimes they don't do their job properly and there are complaint procedures.

Police should have limited powers, if the situation in Minneapolis teaches us anything, that's important.

The police won't give "words of advice" in the event of serious crime.

It is an appropriate discretionary tool to use in less serious crimes when e.g. the victim does not want to press on with the case (for example if a teenager breaks a neighbours window), or if the perpetrator is vulnerable in some way, or if it is a low-level first offence.

You also have to consider that what is "clear" to you is not always going to be what is "clear" to the police. I'm assuming from context there is something you are involved in one way or another.

I agree with the others.

You are asking us to comment on a situation you haven't given us the details of.

There can be a lot of good reasons.

I’ll be as vague as your question they do it for lots of reasons

Because they have discretion

When someone who's committing a breach of the peace or public intoxication but is not being aggressive then there's really very little to be gained from criminalising them if telling them to cop on and go home will suffice.

This was a harassment case

Early police intervention is usually focussed on risk assessment, preventing the situation from escalating, and ensuring that the perpetrator understands that their behaviour constitutes harassment. Often in low-level harassment cases where it’s assessed that there’s no imminent threat or likelihood of harm, a talking to and a warning from the police is the most appropriate remedy and is enough to make the behaviour stop.

The police will explain to the victim what they should do next if things aren’t resolved. And if you don’t believe the response was appropriate for the circumstances then you can make a complaint about it to the police force in question or to the IOPC.

It depends. Sometimes it’s shoddy police work, sometimes it’s because it’s the appropriate course of action , sometimes it’s because their hands are tied (not enough/conclusive evidence, CPS won’t take it further, etc.).

Harrassment is a specific crime with a set level od activity to qualify. Realistically in our hugely overburdened CJ system, words of caution telling someone that theyve crossed that level and to desist is more sensible than an arrest and prosecution in the first instance.

what about if the harassment was abusive? Do they taken into account if the harassment was provoked?

It’s entirely case dependent. If you or somebody you know is involved in this then you need to speak with the police who have been handling the case and be clear what the next steps will be if the harassment continues, and what the victim also needs to make sure they are doing in terms of keeping records of any further contact and make sure they are not doing in terms of instigating contact with the perpetrator themselves.