The Criminal Justice Alliance (CJA) responds to the HMICFRS report on our super-complaint regarding Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and independent community scrutiny of stop and search. The CJA’s 2021 super-complaint called for the repeal of Section 60 powers, emphasising the need for a review of the legislation’s effectiveness. The HMICFRS report acknowledges issues of police non-compliance with legal and best practice frameworks but falls short of advocating strongly for a robust mandatory framework.
Specific concerns include the absence of interviews with individuals impacted by stop and search, child safeguarding, the questionable effectiveness of stop and search in reducing knife crime, and racial disparities. The CJA proposes a set of recommendations, including repealing Section 60, adherence to the law and best practices, prioritising lived experiences, addressing child safeguarding, adopting evidence-based policies for serious youth violence, improving police community consultative frameworks, and addressing racial disparities through collaboration with civil society partners.