Project exploring public perceptions of stop and search in Wales and its links to confidence and trust in policing.
| Lead institution | |
|---|---|
| Principal researcher(s) |
Dr Kat Ford (Bangor University) and Jason Rees (South Wales Police)
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| Police region |
Wales
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| Collaboration and partnership |
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| Level of research |
Professional/work based
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| Project start date |
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| Date due for completion |
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Research context
In England and Wales, the police can conduct a Section 1 stop and search – detaining an individual for the purpose of a search to prevent and detect crime where reasonable grounds are met.
In the year ending March 2023, 547,003 stop and searches were recorded by the police in England and Wales (Halkon 2024). The Section 1 stop and search is part of a violence prevention strategy, but it is a contested and debated UK police power (HMICFRS 2021), with some limited evidence of effectiveness (Quinton and others 2017).
Research has indicated that stop and search powers are disproportionately used against those from ethnic minority communities (Bowling and Phillips, 2007) and that involvement in stop and searches is linked to lower levels of trust in the police (Bradford and others 2022, Harris and Jones, 2020).
To date, a limited body of research has explored public attitudes towards, or the experience of stop and search in the United Kingdom (Pearson and Rowe 2023). A 2020 survey measuring public perceptions on stop and search in London and Leeds found a higher proportion of respondents aged 18–24 and those reporting Black, Asian, and minority ethnicity felt stop and search was unnecessary and should be discontinued in policing (Independent Office for Police Conduct 2020). There is a need to understand public perceptions and attitudes towards stop and search in Wales.
Aims
This study aims to explore public attitudes and experiences of stop and search in Wales. This collaboration with police across Wales will build the evidence base on public perceptions of, and attitudes towards, stop and search practices, as well as trust in the police. The research aims not only to improve relationships between police and communities, but also to create a sustainable framework for ongoing collaboration.
Research methodology
Secondary data analysis and primary data collection will be conducted to understand perceptions of stop and search in Wales. It will explore if experience of stop and search is linked to confidence and trust in policing. Such knowledge will inform interventions to improve support and trust in policing. The project will also explore the potential for data sharing/linkage between police stop and search and other data sources to further explore these issues.
References
Bowling B and Phillips C. 2007. 'Disproportionate and discriminatory: Reviewing the evidence on police stop and search'. The Modern Law Review, 70(6), 936–961.
Bradford B and others. 2022. 'A street corner education: Stop and search, trust, and gendered norms among adolescent males'. PLoS ONE, 17(12 December).
HMICFRS. 2021. 'Disproportionate use of police powers: A spotlight on stop and search and the use of force'.
Halkon R. 2024. 'How stop and search is used'.
Harris JW and Jones MS. 2020. 'Shaping youths’ perceptions and attitudes toward the police: Differences in direct and vicarious encounters with police'. Journal of Criminal Justice, 67.
Independent Office for Police Conduct. 2020, November. IOPC Public Perceptions Tracker – ‘Stop and Search’ Summary. Wave 4.2.
Pearson G and Rowe M. 2023. 'Gone fishing: The operation of police vehicle stops in England and Wales'. Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Quinton P, Tiratelli M and Bradford B. 2017. 'Does more stop and search mean less crime? Analysis of Metropolitan Police Service panel data, 2004–14'. College of Policing.