More than 40,000 strip-searches have been carried out on young children a Freedom of Information request has revealed.
The Guardian report:
A promise to end routine strip-searching of children in custody is being flouted, according to data revealing there were more than 43,000 recorded incidences involving children as young as 12 over a 21-month period – but in only 275 searches were illicit items found.
Contraband was discovered in eight of every 1,000 searches in young offender institutions and secure children’s homes and training centres in the course of one year, and just three in the next year.
Tobacco was the most common item found, with no recorded discoveries of drugs or knives.