Part 3 107 Torture and ill-treatment are ineffective: 1. Torture and ill-treatment inhibit present and future investigations; Some of the best criminal informants are recruited from those who have been arrested. Violence will always distort this relationship, in turn inhibiting the performance of the police because once, violence has been used, it is almost impossible to use any legitimate interview technique. 2. Torture and ill-treatment damage police community relations; A system that allows or fails to prevent torture and ill-treatment loses the respect and trust of the targeted communities. The police may consequently become the object of distrust or even hatred, thus inhibiting their effectiveness. If particular communities consider themselves to be under attack by the authorities (as a “suspect community”) based on information obtained by illegal means, such as torture, members may be reluctant to provide information that would assist police in counter-terrorism efforts. In addition, members can become radicalized and may look to terrorists for support and protection, spreading terrorism further. The general public may also lose trust in the police and may not support their counter-terrorism efforts. 3. Torture and ill-treatment adversely affect the perpetrators; and People in police custody are, in effect, defenceless and the abuse of defenceless people is contrary to all recognized moral or ethical codes, whether based upon religious, ethical or legal principles. Those who show willingness to torture, abuse or humiliate others run the risk of serious conflict within their own lives and serious risk to their own psychological well-being. There will be aspects of their working lives that they cannot discuss openly with their acquaintances. They will carry the burden of secrets that they can only share with other lawbreakers and criminals. Such a burden is harmful to the perpetrator’s mental health in the long term. 4. Torture and ill-treatment are not reliable. Torture and ill-treatment simply do not work. People who are threatened with or subjected to torture or ill-treatment may admit to the most grievous crimes to make the pain stop, even when they are innocent of any wrongdoing. The police may not know if what is admitted is true. The result is that innocent people may be imprisoned and the offender may be left free to commit further serious crimes