A recent report from a watchdog has revealed that Black children are four times more likely to be strip-searched by police officers in England and Wales compared to their white counterparts.
The Children's Commissioner also discovered that children under the age of 15 make up a significant portion of those subjected to intimate searches. Official figures from the year leading up to June 2023 indicate that fewer than half (45%) of all searches on children were conducted in the presence of an appropriate adult.
The report, released on Monday, highlighted that nearly 90% (88%) of searches conducted by the 44 police forces in England and Wales were aimed at finding drugs. Over the five years leading up to June 2023, children as young as eight were strip-searched every 14 hours, with more than 3,000 such procedures carried out between January 2018 and June 2023.
In response to these findings, police admitted that "too many strip searches carried out are unnecessary, unsafe, and under-reported."
The issue of child strip searches gained national attention following the Child Q scandal in 2022, where a 15-year-old Black girl was strip-searched at her school in east London on suspicion of possessing drugs. No drugs were found.
Assistant Chief Constable Andrew Mariner, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for stop and search, commented, "Two years on from the shocking case of Child Q, we are seeing progress being made. I welcome this shift, and I am cautiously optimistic about the potential to overcome entrenched systemic challenges, but there is still urgent work to be done: too many strip searches carried out are unnecessary, unsafe, and under-reported."
Mariner added, "Today's research serves as a stark reminder that this is not an isolated issue in the capital. A much higher threshold should be met before a child is subjected to what we know can be a traumatizing search. We need to build a culture of trust between children and the police. It's vital that improvements continue, with fewer searches carried out, better data recording, and that good practices are identified and modeled across the country."
The police have promised a comprehensive review of the rules governing their use of stop-and-search powers. "We will conduct a full review of our authorized professional practice in respect of stop and search. This detailed and wide-ranging review will examine all aspects of stop and search, including strip searches, and make necessary changes to policing policy and national practices," Mariner stated.
The Home Office maintains that strip searches play a crucial role in protecting the public and asserts that strict safeguards are in place.
Children’s Commissioner Rachel de Souza called for urgent procedural changes to address the racial disparity and to ensure children's safety during these intimate searches. "Throughout England and Wales, police continue to strip-search children as part of stop and searches, revealing concerning practices and widespread failure to comply with safeguarding procedures designed to protect children," she said.
De Souza emphasized that strip searches should only be conducted when there is a clear and immediate danger to the child or others. "My firm recommendation is that this should only be the case where there is a clear and immediate danger to the child or others. However, the majority of searches are still conducted on suspicion of drugs, and nearly half result in no further action," she noted.
De Souza’s latest report, the third in her investigation into police strip-search practices, indicates some progress, including lower overall numbers of strip searches and procedural changes within many police forces. However, the report still found widespread failures in safeguarding processes designed to protect children during intimate searches.
The report revealed that Black children, who make up 6% of the child population in England and Wales, accounted for 27% of strip searches between 2022 and 2023. In contrast, white children, who constitute 74% of the child population, accounted for 59% of strip searches.
Furthermore, in 45% of searches conducted between July 2022 and June 2023, a parent, carer, or social worker was not present. The majority of these searches (88%) were conducted on suspicion of drug possession, with only 6% on suspicion of carrying weapons.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson stated, "We have a duty to do everything we can to prevent children in London from being used in the supply of drugs or involved in knife crime as either victims or offenders. We introduced a new policy to improve these types of searches in May 2022, including the requirement of inspector authorization, mandatory safeguarding referrals, and new guidance for officers."
De Souza's report underscores the need for continued vigilance and reform to protect children and ensure fair and just policing practices.
No comments:
Post a Comment