I believe that stop and search is a legitimate power that assists in the proper exercise of police duties. Because it involves intrusion into someone's privacy, it is subject to procedural requirements to ensure that a person's human rights are upheld.
However, in Scotland the police also have a power of non-statutory stop and search. It is the exercise of this power that has driven a sharp increase in figures; it now accounts for more than 70 per cent of instances. And of all age groups, children and young people are those most frequently targeted. For instance, in 2010 in the former Strathclyde region there were more searches carried out on 16-year-olds than there were children of that age: 1,406 searches per every 1,000 16-year-olds. Statistics like these ring alarm bells because it means that the same young people were targeted repeatedly.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
