A Youth Justice Board (YJB) review of the controversial use ofstrip-searching in youth jails, initiated four-and-a-half years ago, hasyet to be completed.
The YJB pledged to review the policy on strip-searching in youngoffender institutions (YOIs) in July 2006 after an independent review byLord Carlile called for an end to the "intrusive" practice.
CYP Now has learned the review report has yet to be completed, promptingconcerns that the issue has been sidelined.
Criticising the delay, Lord Carlile said: "For this review not to havebeen completed more than four years after my recommendations werepublished is deeply concerning.
"My investigations found no convincing evidence that stripping childrenduring searches helped with security. With the technologicalalternatives available, this demeaning practice should beredundant."
Strip-searching is used on young offenders to check if they are carryingitems such as drugs, mobile phones or weapons. Other detection methodshave emerged in recent years including a scanning chair, known as a Bosschair, portable knife arches and X-ray equipment for bags.
The time taken so far on the strip-searching review exceeds that of anyother by the YJB. By comparison, a review into the YJB's governance wascompleted and published within just seven months last year.
A spokeswoman for the YJB said the strip-searching review has been"comprehensive", involving "detailed discussions" on full searches withdifferent providers of custody while also seeking the views of childrenand young people.
"These extensive consultations have taken time," she said. "The reportwill be published soon."
Meanwhile, the YJB has refused to release the latest statistics onself-harm in the youth secure estate. A response to a Freedom ofInformation Act request by CYP Now said that up-to-date figures will notbe released until they are published in the YJB's annual workload datanext year.
Figures provided by the YJB for the 12 months to the end of March 2009show numbers of self-harm incidents increased from 1,535 to 1,980 inYOIs year-on-year. In February last year a 14-month investigation by CYPNow revealed 2,040 incidents of self-harm in the calendar year 2008.
