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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
Time: 2:26 am
Time: 2:26 am
Results for police practice
4 results foundAuthor: Murray, Kath Title: Stop and Search in Scotland: A Post Reform Overview - Scrutiny and Accountability Summary: This report examines police stop and search practice in the first two years of Police Scotland, following the amalgamation of the eight Scottish forces under the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 in April 2013. The report follows on from an earlier evaluation of stop and search published by the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research which examined police practice between 2005 and 2010 (Murray, 2014). This found that by 2010, search rates in Scotland were around four times higher than in England and Wales; that seventy per cent of recorded searches were undertaken without reasonable suspicion; and that searches were disproportionately targeted towards young people in some parts of Scotland. Since its publication, the use of stop and search in Scotland has been subject to an unprecedented degree of media and political attention. Yet despite this spotlight, relatively little is known about police practice in the post-reform period. A Scrutiny Review report by the Scottish Police Authority published in May 2014 provided a snapshot of police practice in the first nine months of Police Scotland. Further cross-sectional data were provided in a review by HM Inspectorate of Policing in Scotland (HMICS, 2015b), and some statistics have been published in the media. Nonetheless, the story seems confused. On the one hand, Police Scotland Executives have pointed to a fall in searches in the post-reform period (e.g. Herald 9/4/15). On the other hand, officers have expressed concerns in relation to a disproportionate focus on stop and search, and pressure to increase the numbers of searches (HMICS, 2015a; 32, 2015b; 54). One of the objectives in this report is to untangle these different interpretations. The report examines police practice from three perspectives: national; local and comparative. At the national level, the trends seem encouraging. In the first two years of Police Scotland, the overall number of recorded searches fell by 38%. The number and proportion of non-statutory searches has fallen, and the overall trend in relation to young people is positive. In 2014/15, the number of recorded searches on sixteen year olds fell by 39% from the previous year. At the local level, the picture is mixed. The overall fall in searches was underpinned by the five ex-Strathclyde Divisions. These Divisions accounted for 83% and 81% of all recorded searches in 2013/14 and 2014/15 respectively. This means that the national picture was not necessarily representative of police practice in the remaining nine Divisions. For example, the use of non-statutory search and the proportion of searches carried out on young people varied considerably across Scotland. Taking a comparative perspective, search rates remain stubbornly high, over and above what might be expected in a small country with relatively low rates of recorded crime. Looking across the 43 forces in England/Wales and the 14 Scottish Divisions, Scottish Divisions accounted for seven of the ten highest ranking Divisions and forces, with the ex-Strathclyde Divisions taking the top five places. Search rates were also comparatively high in other parts of Scotland. For example, in 2014/15, the per capita search rate in Tayside was higher than London. The analysis shows how police practice can be viewed in different ways, each equally valid. This means that precedence should not be given to one outlook over another. Whilst the national picture appears positive, this does not necessarily reflect local policing in Scotland. Nor does the national trend reflect the fact that search rates in Scotland remained unduly high in the first two years of Police Scotland. The report suggests that stop and search rates in Scotland may be attributed to a combination of strict performance management, weak regulation, and to a lack of scrutiny and accountability prior to reform. By the same token, the recent fall in recorded searches can be linked to increasing levels of political and media scrutiny in the post-reform period. On the one hand, this engagement is both welcome and overdue. Prior to the formation of the single service the use of stop and search was not openly accounted for and remained beyond public scrutiny. On the other hand, the degree of critical attention directed towards Police Scotland has destabilized the single service at a time of huge structural change. The report concludes that one of the key challenges therefore is to make the use of stop and search formally accountable. That is, to establish robust governance processes that provide transparency, and ensure that the use of stop and search, and other key powers, are subject to rigorous scrutiny and monitoring. Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research, 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 14, 2015 at: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Stop-and-search-in-Scotland.-A-post-reform-overview-22ndJune2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Stop-and-search-in-Scotland.-A-post-reform-overview-22ndJune2015.pdf Shelf Number: 136408 Keywords: Police BehaviorPolice DiscretionPolice PerformancePolice PracticeStop and Search |
Author: Murray, Kath Title: Landscape Review on Stop and Search in Scotland Summary: This report presents a landscape review of academic and policy research and evidence on stop and search in Scotland. The report was commissioned by the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) via the Scottish Institute for Policing Research. It is not an exhaustive systematic evidence review. Rather the aim is to provide an overview of the key findings and themes in the existing evidence base, and relate these to the direction of police policy and practice in Scotland. The review also aims to support the Authority's commitment to building a stronger and more holistic research picture on the wider societal impact of stop and search. Details: Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh, 2015. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 11, 2016 at: http://www.sipr.ac.uk/downloads/Landscape_review_stop_search_270116.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.sipr.ac.uk/downloads/Landscape_review_stop_search_270116.pdf Shelf Number: 139394 Keywords: Police Accountability Police Behavior Police Discretion Police Performance Police PracticeStop and Search |
Author: StopWatch Title: StopWatch Submission to the Consultation on Police Powers to Stop and Search Summary: The Home Office consultatio' document defines the purpose of stop and search as being to 'fight against crime'. According to Her Majesty's Inspectorate of the Constabulary (HMIC), however, most police forces have no clear approach to using stop and search powers, nor a strategy or objective for their exercise. Existing definitions of the purpose of stop and search lack the clarity and precision required to ensure appropriate regulation of police powers and evaluation of their effectiveness. The absence of circumscription heightens the risk of those powers being abused. The exercise of police powers to stop an individual in a public place, to detain them for questioning, and to search their person or their belongings, constitutes an invasion of liberty and privacy. The powers are intrusive and coercive, and the circumstances in which they are exercised are frequently embarrassing, humiliating, intimidating and frightening for the individual concerned. - Stop and search has potentially damaging effects on individuals, communities and wider society. The powers can only be justified if there is evidence that they contribute significantly to the public good and if there is no less intrusive or coercive means to achieve the same end. The evidence of effectiveness, insofar as it exists, is unconvincing and there has been insufficient effort dedicated to the development of a less costly and less invasive alternative. Stop and search powers can be abused and used arbitrarily, without proper grounds and for improper purposes. The exercise of these powers must therefore be properly supervised to ensure that they are lawful, necessary, proportionate, properly circumscribed, and subject to adequate legal safeguards against abuse. Police officers do not have a right to stop and search. They have a duty to investigate crime and contribute to community safety; to promote equality, prevent illegal discrimination; and to protect our rights and freedoms. The police are granted powers to carry out these duties. Stop and search powers require a secure base of community support. Police action must both be fair and rational, and be perceived as so being by individuals and wider society. Without community consent and legitimacy, the use of the power becomes corrosive and ineffective Details: London: Stopwatch, 2013. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 13, 2016 at: http://www.stop-watch.org/uploads/documents/StopWatch_consultation_final.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.stop-watch.org/uploads/documents/StopWatch_consultation_final.pdf Shelf Number: 139406 Keywords: Police AccountabilityPolice DiscretionPolice PracticeStop and Search |
Author: Murray, Kath Title: Understanding and Preventing Youth Crime Survey (UPYC) Early Findings: Stop and Search in Glasgow and Edinburgh Summary: This report presents data and analysis on children's experiences of stop and search in Glasgow and Edinburgh. The analysis in the report is based on data from the Understanding and Preventing Youth Crime (UPYC) survey, a UK wide project that examines children's experiences of crime, victimisation and policing. The report was commissioned by the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) in order to meet Recommendation 11 of the SPA Scrutiny Review on Stop and Search: The SPA should commission research, in conjunction with others, to establish the short and long term impact of stop and search on different groups and communities. In particular, this should cover the short and long term impact of stop and search activity on young people. (SPA, 2014; 26) The UPYC questionnaire was administered to 2,186 secondary school children in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Sheffield and Birmingham between September 2014 and December 2015. In Glasgow and Edinburgh, 1,286 pupils aged between twelve and sixteen years old took part in the survey, while in Sheffield and Birmingham, 900 children took part. This report focuses on children's experiences in Glasgow and Edinburgh (some comparisons are drawn with Sheffield and Birmingham). The report examines the overall and varying prevalence of stop and search, police effectiveness, and how children feel about being stopped and searched. The key findings are shown below. The overall and varying prevalence of stop and search - Overall, nearly a quarter of children in Glasgow and Edinburgh (23%) said that they had been stopped and searched at least once in their lifetime. - The overall prevalence of stop and search in Glasgow and Edinburgh (23%) was around three times higher than Sheffield and Birmingham (8%). - Across the four cities, prevalence ranged from 5% in Birmingham, to 26% in Glasgow. - Children in Glasgow were more likely to have been searched on multiple occasions, compared to children in Edinburgh. Amongst those children who were searched in the last 12 months, over a fifth (21%) in Glasgow had been searched on six or more occasions, compared to 2% in Edinburgh. School year/age (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - One of the strongest predictors of being stopped and searched was school year. In Glasgow and Edinburgh, 37% of children in S4 (15 and 16 year olds) had been stopped and searched on at least one occasion, compared to 11% in Birmingham and Sheffield. Gender (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - The prevalence of stop and search was slightly higher among boys than girls, at 26% and 21% respectively. - However, boys were more likely to be searched on multiple occasions. Amongst those who had been searched in the last twelve months, 20% of boys had been stopped and searched six times or more, compared to 11% of girls. - When controlling for other factors, multivariate analysis showed that boys were around 1.6 times more likely to be stopped and searched than girls. Ethnicity (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Asian children were less likely to be stopped and searched, compared to White children. Otherwise, there were no statistically significant differences across the ethnic groups in the survey. Education and social class (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Children who said that they did badly at school were more likely to have been searched, compared to those who said that they performed well at school. Over half (53%) of those who said that their achievement was poor or well below average had been stopped and searched, compared to 13% who said that their achievement was well above average or excellent. - When controlling for other factors, children who attended state schools were 2.6 times more likely to have been searched, compared to children who attended independent schools. However, self-reported offending rates between these two groups did not vary. Family support and involvement (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - The prevalence of stop and search was lower amongst children with higher levels of family support and involvement. Children whose parents rarely knew their whereabouts, what they were doing, or whom they were with were more likely to have been stopped and searched by the police. For example, 73% of children who said that their parents/carers seldom or never knew where they were had been searched, compared to 18% who said that their parents/carers often or almost always knew where they were. Offending behaviour (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Half of the children (50%) in the survey said they had never taken part in a crime, rising to three quarters (75%) when excluding illegally downloading music or films from the internet. Excluding illegal downloads, 9% of children said they had committed an offence on two or more occasions in the last year. - When controlling for other factors, children who had been involved in a group fight in the last twelve months were 4.6 times more likely to have been stopped and searched, compared to children who had not. - However, other types of offending, including weapon carrying and drug misuse, were not significantly associated with being stopped and searched. - The likelihood of being searched was higher amongst children who said that they had committed an offence in the last 12 months, compared to those who had not. - However, in absolute terms, the number of children who were searched and said they had not committed a crime was higher than the number who had been searched and had committed a crime. Alcohol (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Children who had drunk alcohol in the last month were 2.5 times more likely to have been stopped and searched, compared to those who had not. - The demographics of stop and search appeared to be out of kilter with the demographics of stop and search. In general, the prevalence of underage drinking (in the last month) was higher in Edinburgh (compared to Glasgow), amongst girls (compared to boys) and amongst children who attended independent schools (compared to mainstream state schools). Note however, that we do not know whether alcohol was consumed at home, or in public, or how the alcohol was accessed. Victimisation (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Children who said that someone had taken, or tried to take something from them either by force or the threat of force (i.e. robbery) were 2.8 times more likely to have been searched, compared to those who had not. - Children who said that either they or a friend had been physically attacked on the way home from school on more than one occasion were 6 times more likely to have been searched, compared to those who had not. The effectiveness of stop and search (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Overall, 13% of stop and search encounters in the last twelve months resulted in detection. This finding is consistent with Police Scotland data, which shows that between June and December 2015, 14% of stop searches involving 12 to 16 year olds resulted in detection. By contrast, Police Scotland data show that 24% of all stop searches carried out on persons of all ages in the same period were positive. - The prevalence of stop and search was higher in neighbourhoods with higher perceived levels of crime and disorder, suggesting that officers generally targeted the 'right places'. - However, at the individual level, involvement in criminal behaviour was a poor indicator for stop and search. Of those children who had been stopped and searched, 61% said that they had not been involved in offending behaviour in the last 12 months (excluding illegal downloading). How children feel about being stopped and searched (Glasgow and Edinburgh) - Children who had been stopped and searched tended to be equivocal or negative about their experiences. A third (34%) said that the officers were 'not at all' fair, compared to 14% who said that the officers were 'very fair.' - A third (35%) said the officers were 'a bit' professional, compared to around a fifth (18%) who said that the officers were 'very' polite and respectful. - Nearly a third of children in Glasgow (32%) said that the police were 'not at all' polite and respectful, compared to 18% in Edinburgh. - Half of those respondents who were searched said that the officers had explained the reason. Of these children, three quarters (75%) said that they understood the reason. - Four in ten (39%) said the officers had asked if they were happy for the search to go ahead. Most of these children (79%) gave their agreement to be searched. - Children mostly felt annoyed at being searched, rather than scared or embarrassed. A third of children (35%) said that they felt 'very' annoyed, and a quarter (25%) said they felt 'quite' annoyed. - Very few children (7%) said that being stopped and searched made them feel 'very' safe on the streets, while 70% said it did not make them feel at all safer. - The views of children who had been stopped and searched at least once tended to be more negative towards the police, compared to those who had not been searched. For example, more than a third (37%) of children who had been searched said they thought the police 'almost never' treated young people with respect, compared to 15% who had not been searched. - A third (34%) of children who had been stopped and searched thought that the police 'almost never' made fair decisions when dealing with young people, compared to 14% who had not been searched. - Over half (53%) of children who had been stopped and searched thought that the police appreciate what young people think, compared to 32% who had not been searched. Details: Glasgow: Scottish Police Authority, 2016. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 20, 2016 at: http://www.spa.police.uk/assets/128635/352708/uypcstopandsearch Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.spa.police.uk/assets/128635/352708/uypcstopandsearch Shelf Number: 140368 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersPolice Behavior Police Discretion Police Practice Stop and Search |