A new policing bill that will be debated this week risks deepening racial and gender disparities in the justice system while forcing professionals to betray the trust of vulnerable people, hundreds of experts and a report have warned.
In a letter to the home secretary, 665 GPs, nurses, social, youth and outreach workers and teachers have warned that the police, crime, sentencing and courts bill is “oppressive” and would force frontline professionals to betray the trust of vulnerable people and become complicit in surveillance, ahead of a debate in the House of Lords this week.
A separate report has said it will put vulnerable young women at further risk of threat further violence, abuse and exploitation.
The government wants to put a statutory duty on public agencies, such as healthcare and education providers, to reduce and prevent serious violence by disclosing information on service users.
In the letter to Priti Patel, to be sent on Monday, signatories say they are “appalled” by the proposals, which they believe “directly conflict with our duties and will actively put…
