Well..........you're getting a little off track there from the original intent of my post FA. In the greater scheme of things, yours is a worthy perspective to keep in mind, BUT,...........

My intent was along the same lines as, for example, why we primarily educate teens about sex in school, which is to prevent unwanted pregnancies and STD's, right? Well, how about preventing unwanted arrests? That's all I was trying to address.

Perhaps the better choice would be to not break the law. That would be knowledge that could protect someone.

VN

Good point VN

by the way 8 out of 8

It's not about not breaking laws, it's about knowing your rights!
Often they get trivial offenders, instead of using discretion.
The reason, is, to make up the crime clean up figures, whilst
leaving the real baddies to carry on.

A cop said to me when leaving the police.
Now, I can really be me, rather than part of a regime, that
does not adhere to the force I joined so long ago.
"Todays policing is not real policing, but it's for the new breed
of career cops".

I would hate to be part of any ethnic group other than white, in this or any white majority country.
Also, I would not want to look like a stereotypical criminal, like many teens tend to fall into.

Then of course there are terrorists on every corner, so watch out, it may be you!

ste

And what about the indignity and inconvenience of improper police searches and arrests? What do you do then?

Knowing that I'm innocent is little comfort to me when the police are rummaging through my personal belongings, in the middle of public view, with drug dugs and lights going off, etc.

Maybe you don't mind being searched because you're "innocent", but I prefer to be LEFT ALONE.

Perhaps some people here are more used to more, specific 'personal liberties' then others are. Please remember that this is not an all-U.S. board, and that there are members of other cultures. To use just your own culture to judge the ideas of others is quite 'ethnocentric', and actually, quite rude. All here have the rights to their opinions.

And I do agree, that to do something illegal, it is just wrong, and if you are caught, you must bear the consequences. If a 'small misdemeanor, especially regarding drugs' is to cause much harder life years later, then it seem quite stupid to have anything to do with drugs. At all. MY opinion.

By the way, for competitions, I have to be subjected to random drug testing (And mandatory if I am a medalist). I am innocent of use of any banned substances, but still, if I am chosen, I must do it. The fact that I know it will be 'clean' means I don't have to worry of the results, and if it is 'indignity and inconvenience' I don't mind. I would rather be competing in a sport that takes pride enough in itself to ensure it is competed with as little cheating as possible. I have never heard any athlete from any country complain about this. We all know it is part of the privelege of being able to do what we do. Perhaps there are things involved that are part of the privelege of having the amount of personal liberties some people here have.

andrei

I don't remember saying I was innocent, because, I never can remember what that really means.
I live in UK, which has similar stop formalities, but I would refuse to identify myself for no reason, other than being stopped.

As for searches, I would expect them to rationalize, why?
They feel the need for it, and explain my rights under "Habeus Corpus". My right to live as a free citizen, unless, they have stopped me for a reason, and then I have the basic human right, to remain silent, and to resist bodily searches,

ste

I got 8 out of 8 right...I am a CJ major (freshly graduated) so I guess I had an unfair advantage. Just a little tip, always identify yourself, never run away, and if they ask to search, always respectfully decline. Because in the states, if your in a high crime area (which is pretty much every where) and you either run or refuse to idetify yourself, then bingo they have reasonable suspicion to pat you down (not seach) but they tend to be able to find the litte baggies with special herbs in them when they pat you down.

tom

My frnd was recently in criminal court regarding his DUI offense. One guy ahead of him (age 20ish) was recving sentencing for the guilty finding of posession of pot. He got 3 years (as in 3 fkg years) for one joint.

So "planting of herb," as Tom describes above, is quite serious. Best to never piss-off a cop. They always win.