A1.10 Bias

1. Whether or not a decision is biased depends on such factors as:
   • whether the officer is personally prejudiced against the applicant on grounds such as sex, race, religion, socio-economic status, sexuality etc;
   • whether the officer has a direct financial or personal interest in the outcome of a decision;
   • whether the officer has a relationship with any of the people involved in the application;
   • whether the officer has predetermined the decision, without considering all of the facts and evidence.
2. It is important to avoid not only actual bias, but also the appearance or suspicion of bias.

Effective 26/07/1999