Record number of UK police forces are failing and need intensive help
GuardianMAR 13 2022
A new report from England & Wales's Children's Commissioner, Rachel de Souza, has found that, while child strip-searches decreased 42% between 2020-22, one in 20 searches did not comply with regulations, and Black children were four times as likely to be stripped than the overall child population.
The report comes after an incident in 2020 involving a 15-year-old Black schoolgirl, identified only as "Child Q," who was strip searched at her school in Hackney, London after being wrongly accused of possessing cannabis.
De Souza's new report, published Monday and based on data from 44 police forces, cites 3,368 child strip-searches between Jan. 2018 and June 2023.
Invasive strip searches are a highly traumatic and humiliating police procedure. The practice not only violates personal dignity but also inflicts lasting psychological harm, particularly on young people. Addressing societal issues like poverty and inequality would be far more effective in reducing crime than these controversial and racially skewed policing tactics.
While acknowledging racial disparities in policing outcomes, it's important to recognize that these issues are complex and not necessarily indicative of systemic racism within UK police forces. Top officials are involved in addressing disproportionalities, seeking to refine policies and practices. This reflects a broader societal effort to overcome historical biases.