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Legal information
- Relationship breakdown
- Intervention orders
- Children and parenting
- Traffic
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Crime
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Dealing with the police
- Speaking to the police
- Getting searched
- Being arrested
- Being questioned
- Fingerprints and body samples
- Identification parades and photos
- Signing police papers
- Police records
- Public order offences
- Drugs
- Violent behaviour
- Theft and property damage
- Crimes against justice
- Weapons
- Going to court for a criminal charge
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Dealing with the police
- Victims of crime
- Youth issues
- Centrelink, work and debt
- Housing and neighbourhood disputes
- Getting fair treatment
- Birth, life and death
- Legal system
- Making a complaint
- New law
Identification parades and photos
Identification parades
An identification (ID) parade is where the police put you in a line of people to see if a witness can name you as the person who committed the offence. A witness is a person who saw or heard something about your case – for example, someone who was injured by the offence.
If you take part in an ID parade, you may be mistakenly identified by the witness as the person who committed the offence.
The police cannot force you to take part in an ID parade. You can refuse to take part in any ID parade until you get legal advice.
Photos
The police may want to take your photo so they can identify you when you are being:
- kept in a police cell
- released from custody on bail with conditions that you report to a local police station and sign the bail book.
The police may want to take your photo without your permission – for example, when you are sitting in the waiting room or in a cell.
You do not have to co-operate if you are asked to show a tattoo or part of your body for a photo.
You can complain if the police take your photo without your permission. See ‘Complaints about police’ (link below).
More information
Youth issues – Young people and the police
Related publications
Your rights: police powers in Victoria
How we can help
Call Victoria Legal Aid’s (VLA) Legal Information Service for free information over the phone about the law and how we can help you with your legal problem. You can speak to a legal information officer in English or ask for an interpreter. Phone (03) 9269 0120 or 1800 677 402 (country callers), Monday to Friday from 8.45 am to 5.15 pm.
VLA’s other free legal services include:
- advice at VLA offices and other locations across Victoria
- advice at many correctional facilities, remand and detention centres
- lawyers who are on ‘duty’ to help at many courts and tribunals.
For some criminal law matters we can provide you with a lawyer to help you run your case.
To find out more about any of our legal services see What we do.
Who else can help?
Your local community legal centre (CLC) can give you legal information and advice. Most CLC services are free. See the Community Law website for more information and CLC contact details.