Children's Law Centre express concern over PSNI conducting strip-searches on young people
- Published
The organisation believes the data gathered shows there was "little basis" to justify the searches
The Children's Law Centre says it is "extremely concerned" at the PSNI conducting strip-searches of young people.
The organisation says it has compiled data which reveals that there were 53 strip searches of children in 2021 and 2022 and that in "almost all cases" nothing was found.
It believes the data shows there was "little basis" to justify the searches.
The information is contained in a social media post it issued.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
'Very sensitive issue'
It says one of children involved was aged 14.
Amnesty International in Northern Ireland is calling on the PSNI to end the practice, claiming it is "a violation" of a child's dignity and human rights.
It says in respect of 2021, when there were 27 children searched, only one "was accompanied by an appropriate adult."
It adds that "items of interest" - drugs and a mobile phone - were found only on three occasions.
Sinn Féin's Linda Dillon and Mike Nesbitt of the Ulster Unionists have previously raised concerns around the issue with senior officers at the Policing Board.
The PSNI stated this is "a very sensitive issue of policing" and that it had "reviewed procedures".
Related topics
- Published4 September 2019
- Published14 July 2022
- Published24 June 2022
- Published14 June 2022
