FOI 162090
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 162090
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 25th March 2022. Please find below the response to your request:
Please could you provide the following information regarding strip searches (sometimes logged as further searches) or under 18s.
How many strip searches/further searches of under 18s were performed by officers in the following financial years:
1 April 2021 - 31 March 2022
1 April 2020 - 31 March 2021
1 April 2019 - 31 March 2020
1 April 2018 - 31 March 2019
1 April 2017 - 31 March 2018
Please provide a breakdown for each year by gender
Please provide a breakdown for each year by ethnicity
For each year - how many of the under 18s were handcuffed during the process
For each year - how many of those searches were released by police without charge
Reply
Following receipt of your request please find the response below. Details have been provided in such a way as to ensure that individuals cannot be identified, as provided in Section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act.
Exemption under Section 40(2) is applicable where the information requested relates to a third party or could lead to the identification of the individual. Releasing the detailed information, broken down as requested, is likely to identify an individual. This would breach an individual’s rights under the Data Protection Act 2018, in particular Article 5(1) of the UK GDPR which states that personal data shall be processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject. Such a disclosure would also be likely to breach s.8 Human Rights Act 1998 which states that everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.
Number of Strip Searches by Gender of Those Aged Under 18:
|
|
2017/18 |
2018/19 |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
|
Female |
2 |
5 |
6 |
4 |
4 |
|
Male |
30 |
43 |
38 |
56 |
35 |
|
Total |
32 |
48 |
44 |
60 |
39 |
Number of Strip Searches by Ethnicity of Those Aged Under 18:
|
|
2017/18 |
2018/19 |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
|
Any Other Asian Background |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Any Other Mixed or Multiple Background |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Any Other White Background |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Asian - Pakistani |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Black - Caribbean |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Black African |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Black Caribbean |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
Mixed - White And Black African |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Mixed - White And Black Caribbean |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Not Stated |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Pakistani |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
White - British |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
White And Asian |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
White And Black Caribbean |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
White British |
2 |
7 |
9 |
14 |
19 |
|
Not recorded |
13 |
37 |
33 |
41 |
11 |
|
Total |
32 |
48 |
44 |
60 |
39 |
Number of Strip Searches Where Handcuffs Were Used For Those Aged Under 18: *
|
2017/18 |
2018/19 |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
|
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
* The figures for the handcuffs question have been obtained from records where it has been noted on the custody record detention log
Number Released Without Charge: *
|
2017/18 |
2018/19 |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
|
25 |
26 |
24 |
22 |
12 |
* The figures for those released without charge are for records where a final disposal has been recorded.