CYP Now - The price of tighter security

There are arguments for and against the use of weapons detection systems, say youth justice groups.

There is concern weapons detection systems can fuel young people’s fear of knives. Picture: Brent MPS

In the weeks leading up to Hakim Sillah’s death, staff at Hillingdon Council’s youth justice service (YJS) were in discussions over the implementation of increased security measures including the use of weapons detection systems.

The discussions were held following a fight between two boys in the office in June 2019 and a previous fight in 2018.

Though neither of the fights involved weapons, according to the independent review into Hakim’s death, a working group of staff met a month before the killing and provided a list of 17 suggestions of how security could be improved. This list included a proposal that “all young people should be searched on arrival at the YOS [YJS office] preferably with the use of a security arch”.

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