ethnic disparities

Black Children Eight Times More Likely to Be Strip Searched by Police in England and Wales

A new report by the Children's Commissioner for England reveals black children are eight times more likely to be strip searched by police than white peers, and almost five times more likely to have force used during stop and search. While total strip searches fell 56% from 854 in 2020 to an estimated 377 in 2024, ethnic disparities persist with 35% of strip searched children being black despite only comprising 6% of the child population. The report also found 30% of searches involved repeat searches and raised concerns about searches without appropriate adults.