How many children are strip searched across England

The request was successful.

To whom it may concern ,

Please can you supply me with the number of child strip searches (under 18) between ethnic groups( white , black, asian , mixed race, and other ) that occurred between 2017, 2018,2019,2020 and 2021 in your area ,

Yours faithfully,

Solomon Elliott

Information Compliance,

Dear Mr Elliott,

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 192184

 

Thank you for your request for information which was received on
18/08/2022.  Your request will now be considered in accordance with the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the Act”).

 

We will aim to provide a response to your request within 20 working days
as stipulated by the Act.  Delays happen on occasion but if this is the
case you will be kept up to date.

 

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

L Quayle

Information Compliance Unit
West Mercia Police

PO Box 55

Hindlip

Worcester

WR3 8SP

 

 

 

 

 

Information Compliance,

2 Attachments

Dear  Mr Elliott,

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 192184

 

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
on 18/08/2022.  Please find below the response to your request:

 

Please can you  supply me with  the number of child strip searches (under
18) between ethnic groups( white , black, asian , mixed race, and other ) 
that occurred between 2017, 2018,2019,2020 and 2021 in your area ,

 

 

 

Reply

 

 

Please see the two attachments.

 

Your attention is drawn to the below which details your right of
complaint.

 

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please
contact the Information Compliance Unit quoting the reference number
above.

 

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

L Quayle

Information Compliance Unit
West Mercia Police

PO Box 55

Hindlip

Worcester

WR3 8SP

 

 

West Mercia Police in complying with their statutory duty under sections 1
and 11 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to release the enclosed
information will not breach the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
However, the rights of the copyright owner of the enclosed information
will continue to be protected by law. Applications for the copyright
owner’s written permission to reproduce any part of the attached
information should be addressed to The Force Solicitor, West Mercia Police
Headquarters, PO Box 55, Hindlip, Worcester, WR3 8SP.

 

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Information request. Complaints should be made in writing and addressed
to:

 

Information Compliance Unit

West Mercia Police Headquarters

PO Box 55

Hindlip Hall

Hindlip

Worcester

WR3 8SP

 

Alternatively, you can email [1][email address]

 

In all possible circumstances, WMP will aim to respond to your complaint
within 20 working days.

 

The Information Commissioner

 

If after lodging a complaint with WMP you are still dissatisfied with the
decision, you may make application to the Information Commissioner (ICO)
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For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
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writing or via phone:

 

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

 

Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545745 (national rate)

Fax: 01625 524 510

References

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1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://ico.org.uk/

J Roberts left an annotation ()

Police powers and procedures: Other PACE powers, England and Wales, year ending 31 March 2022

Published 17 November 2022

'2.4 Strip searches in custody - experimental statistics
...

The most notable differences between adults and children strip searched were that higher proportions of children strip searched self-defined as being of a black or black British background compared with adults (35% compared with 19%); and less than half (43%) of all children strip searched were of a white ethnic background, compared with 65% of adults strip searched (see Figure 2.2 below).'

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics...

UIN 93637

Chris Philp answered a parliamentary question from Janet Daby on 28/11/22:

'...We are pleased to note that in 99% of cases an appropriate adult was called for a child detained in police custody but concerns remain that only in 41% cases was an appropriate adult called for a vulnerable adult...'

https://questions-statements.parliament....

J Roberts left an annotation ()

Strip search of children in England and Wales – analysis by the Children’s Commissioner for England

March 2023

https://assets.childrenscommissioner.gov...

Table 4. Home Office experimental statistics of searches conducted on children in custody, 2020-21

West Mercia Police - More thorough searches and strip searches - 39

.............................................................................................

• More than half (52%) of strip searches were conducted without an Appropriate Adult confirmed to be present; p10

Black children in England and Wales were up to 6 times more likely to be strip searched when compared to national population figures, while White children were around half as likely to be searched. p9

Poor quality data mean that police forces struggle to readily account for the number or circumstances of strip searches of children they have conducted. The lack of national data means that there is no transparency on the consistency of practice between forces.

• There is widespread non-compliance with statutory codes of practice for strip searches of children. The CCo has identified the following breaches of statutory codes of practice:

For context, children’s interactions with police in numbers:

• Arrests: Police in England and Wales made 50,787 arrests of children in 2020-21, 62,449 in 2019-20, and 59,773 in 2018-19.

• Stop and searches: Police conducted 115,601 stop and searches of children in 2020-21 and 94,975 in 2021-22.

• Cautions: Police gave 5,258 cautions to children in 2021-22.

• Safer Schools Officers: At least 979 police officers operate in schools in Britain.
...

• Only 36% of Black children trust the police, compared to 75% of White children. 15

What are the rules for stop and searches?
...

What are the rules for strip searches under stop and search? p19

In total, 2,847 strip searches of children under stop and search powers were reported in England and Wales between 2018 and mid-2022...

By comparison, police carried out stop and searches of children on 115,601 occasions in 2020-21 and 94,975 in 2021-22, so strip searching was a relatively rare form of search. p29

The Guardian 6/4/23:

Black girls are almost three times more likely than their white counterparts to be subjected by the Met police to the most invasive form of strip-search, figures suggest.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023...

J Roberts left an annotation ()

UIN 175703, tabled on 28 March 2023

Collection of data on strip searches that occurred in police custody to become mandatory for all forces.

'Collection of this data will be mandatory for all forces to provide from the year ending March 2023 onwards. Data for the year ending March 2023 will be published in Autumn 2023.' Chris Philp

https://questions-statements.parliament....

J Roberts left an annotation ()

IOPC 19/3/24:

National recommendation responses - EIP searches of children

'This publication contains IOPC Section 10 ‘quick time’ learning recommendations and the respective national responses concerning searches of children that expose intimate parts (EIP).'

https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/publica...