Currently young people are strip-searched on a mandatory basis when they arrive at a young offender institution (YOI), with any subsequent searches while they are held in custody conducted on a “risk-led basis”.
However, from 5 May all searches will be conducted based on risk, the Youth Justice Board (YJB) has said.
The move follows pressure from campaign groups and criticism of the practice by experts.
Youth Justice Board director of operations Lucy Dawes, said full searches should only ever be undertaken on a risk-led, rather than a routine basis.
??“This principle is already firmly embedded into the practice of secure children’s homes and secure training centres, and so we are pleased that, thanks to the work of the YJB and the National Offender Management Service, from 5 May 2014, full searching of male young people in under-18 Young Offender Institutions will only happen on a risk led basis.”
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