Critically examine the criticisms that have been levelled against the use of stop and search by the police? Are these criticisms justified? Give reasons for your answer. Essay

Critically examine the criticisms that have been levelled against the use of stop and search by the police? Are these criticisms justified? Give reasons for your answer.

Stop and search powers governed by the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) of 1984 has always been a supreme controversy relating to and directly implicating the police and the public. These concerns directly impact human rights, the law and everyday life for those affected particularly the young and ethnic minority groups since these are the groups disproportionately represented moreover allegations still exist that despite the Steven Lawrence case of 1993, institutional racism still exists. With stop and search the police deliberately force allegations upon and use the law indiscriminately where certain suspects are accused and the criticisms constantly and inherently labelled at the police are fully justified. What’s more the subsequent police conduct once searched is believed to be unpleasant and discriminatory; additionally the manner of searches can be humiliating and embarrassing for those involved. Overall stop and search is an ineffective method of investigating and disrupting crime for numerous and long standing reasons.

One, is that the rate of arrests is extremely poor in co-ordination to the ratio of stops; the stop/search to arrest rate declined from 17per cent in 1986 to just 10 per cent between 1996 to 98, (McConville & Wilson, 2002, pg559). Two, it is evident that racial discrimination exists as noted above about disproportion searches of Asians especially after but also prior to September 11th and since the introduction of the 2000 Terrorism Act; a similar power to that of PACE. All of such criticisms will be discussed and evaluated in more detail throughout the course of this essay. However problems do not just lie with actual numerical data as fact but furthermore with the ambiguous definition of legislation such as flimsy grounds for stop and search methods to be...