New data reveals a disturbing pattern of racial disparities and safeguarding failures in the strip-searching of children by police in England and Wales, sparking calls for urgent reform. Here’s the full story.
Damning Report on Strip Searches
A recent damning report into the strip searches of children by police forces in England and Wales has revealed how pervasive this tactic has become and, more worryingly, how it appears to be used primarily on black and ethnic minority children.
Shocking Strip Search Data
According to data published by the Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, there were 3,368 strip searches conducted on children between January 2018 and June 2023, which equates to one child being strip-searched every 14 hours. De Souza’s report also highlighted that the youngest child subjected to such searches was just eight.
Child Q Incident
This investigation followed the widely publicised and severely criticised case of Child Q, a 15-year-old black schoolgirl who was strip-searched at her school in London in December 2020 after teachers reported her to the police for possibly having drugs.
Outrage Over Child Q’s Treatment
The strip searching of Child Q took place without an appropriate adult present, without her parents being notified, and while the girl was on her period, sparked national outrage and protests, which eventually led to this recently published review of police strip search powers.
False Accusation
To add insult to injury, after her ordeal of being strip-searched, it turned out Child Q had been falsely accused of carrying drugs.
Stark Racial Disparity
The report also revealed a stark racial disparity in strip searches, with black children being four times more likely to be strip-searched compared to their white peers. Though this figure has fallen, having been six times more likely between 2018 and 2022, it has still been widely received as a damning indictment of the racism present within many police forces.
Grim Racial Statistics
The figures make for grim reading. Between July 2022 and June 2023, 27% of the children strip-searched were Black, despite Black children comprising only 6% of the child population in England and Wales. In contrast, 59% of those searched were white, who make up 74% of the child population.
Historical Racism in Policing
This is not the first time British police have been accused of systemic racism, with a 2023 report from Dame Louise Casey into the Metropolitan Police finding that the force was institutionally racist.
Safeguarding Failures
Another critical issue identified in the report was the lack of appropriate safeguarding during the strip-searching of minors. The investigation revealed that in almost half of the cases (45%) between July 2022 and June 2023, an appropriate adult was not confirmed to be present during the search.
Drug Possession Focus
The report also found that a majority of these searches (88%) were conducted on suspicion of drug possession, while only 6% were related to suspicions of carrying weapons or blades.
Unnecessary Searches
This has led many to question whether such intrusive searches were necessary, especially considering that nearly half of all searches resulted in no further action being taken.
De Souza’s Cautious Optimism
De Souza stated, “Two years on from the shocking case of Child Q in 2022, we are seeing some green shoots of progress in how the police carry out and record strip searches on children. 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..”
Not Just a London Issue
She added, “I am particularly reassured by the progress in London by the Metropolitan Police, but 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 a humiliating and traumatising intimate search.”
Metropolitan Police Reforms
In response to the public outcry and the findings of the Children’s Commissioner, the Metropolitan Police introduced new policies in May 2022 aimed at improving the conduct of strip searches on children.
New Safeguarding Policies
These reforms include the requirement for inspector authorisation before a search, mandatory safeguarding referrals, and new guidance for officers to ensure that children are protected during such searches.
Met’s Stance on Strip Searches
A spokesperson for the Met 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 know these searches are intrusive and should only be used where there is a risk of serious harm to the child or others, and where used we must ensure that children are protected and safeguarded.”
Home Office Defence
The Home Office has defended the use of strip searches as an important tool for protecting the public but has also acknowledged the need for strict safeguards.
Cause for Concern
Dame Rachel de Souza concluded that while there are “green shoots of progress,” in how police handle cases of strip-searching, the overuse and seemingly racist targeting of police strip-search powers is a severe cause for concern.
Uncertain Future
However, it remains to be seen whether this latest report into police strip search powers will lead to any meaningful changes in the law to prevent this harrowing and traumatising practice from being overused in the future.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Nigel J. Harris.