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Policing - new material (80)

01 October 2007

Young Black People and the Criminal Justice System, Volume 1. House of Commons Home Affairs Committee (HC 181-1), 15.6.07, pp 98. This report concludes that "young black people are overrepresented at all stages of the criminal justice system. Black people constitute 2.7% of the population aged 10-17, but represent 8.5% of those of that age group arrested in England and Wales. As a group, they are more likely to be stopped and searched by the police, less likely to be given unconditional bail and more likely to be remanded in custody than white young offenders. Young black people and those of "mixed" ethnicity are likely to receive more punitive sentences than young white people." The report also notes that "Young black people are also more likely to be victims of crime". Given this data it is more than surprising to find that racism is only mentioned in four of the paragraphs (Para 120, 122, 159 and 195) of the hundred page document while the main focus of the volume discusses measures directed at: http://www.publications.parliament .uk/pa/cm200607
/cmselect/emhaff/181/181i.pdf

Researching Minority Ethnic Young People in Edinburgh and the Greater Glasgow Area, Liz Frondigoun, Hazel Croall, Bill Hughes, Lani Russell, Rachel Russell & Gill Scott. Glasgow Caledonian University, July 2007, pp 80. This report was commissioned by Strathclyde and Lothian and Borders police forces and found that many young people from ethnic minority groups in Scotland lacked confidence in the police and would not bother reporting incidents to them. It criticises officers for their heavy-handed policing of religious events, for their poor communication and untrustworthiness. Police officers have rejected the claims and the Police Federation said that it was "wrong" to suggest that they are racist. Available at: http://www.lbp.police.uk/press_release/articles/2007/August/14/3rdraftreport.pdf

Shoot to Shock, Gary Mason. Police Review 17.8.07, pp 29-30. Article on the next generation of stun gun weapons, Taser International's XREP - the eXtended Range Electronic Projectile. This "breakthrough", which maintains the incapacitating capability of the hand held X-26 used by UK police forces but has the capacity to be delivered from 30 m, is currently undergoing trials.