Summary
This report is an independent academic review into the pilot stop and search programme which was undertaken over a ten-month period in Fife between April 2014 and February 2015. The study outlines a number of recommendations from the research, which are informing the development of future policy and practice around stop and search across Scotland.
Contents
1. Executive Summary. -- 1.1. Main Finding. -- 1.2. Recommendations. --
2. Background to the Evaluation. -- 2.1. Stop and search in Scotland. -- 2.2. Public confidence and policing. --
3. Methodology. -- 3.1. Quantitative Methods. -- 3.1.1. Operationalising intelligence and information: -- 3.1.2. Stop and search outputs. -- 3.1.3. Selection of comparator Division. -- 3.1.4. Selection of case study areas. -- 3.2. Qualitative Methods. -- 3.2.1. Observations and interviews. -- 3.2.2. Documentary analysis. -- 3.2.3. Coding. -- 3.2.4. Execution of data analysis. -- 3.3. Limitations of the Evaluation. --
4. Findings. -- 4.1. Stop and search data. -- 4.1.1. Analysis of overall stop search data during and pre-pilot in Fife and a comparison area: -- 4.1.2. Analysis of stop and search data for Fife during the pilot by gender, ethnicity and age. -- 4.1.3. Analysis of legislative and consensual stop and search data by age for Fife during the pilot. -- 4.2. Development of the pilot and its aims. -- 4.2.1. Awareness regarding the development of the pilot and its aims. -- 4.2.2. Perception of the pilot as a response to political and media pressure. -- 4.2.3. Knowledge of pilot aims. -- 4.2.4. Volume of stop and search: an unintended outcome of the pilot. -- 4.3. Process of Implementing the new approach to stop and search. -- 4.3.1. The aim – process – outcome relationship. -- 4.4. Improving the data on which stop and search is based. -- 4.4.1. The analysis process. -- 4.4.2. Regularity of stop and search data analysis. -- 4.4.3. Continuity in the format of stop and search reports. -- 4.4.4. Comparison with Forth Valley. -- 4.4.5. Accuracy of stop and search data. -- 4.4.6. Contextualisation of stop and search data. -- 4.4.7. Dissemination of the reports. -- 4.5. Improving accountability: -- 4.5.1. Compliance recording checks. -- 4.5.2. Monitoring of crime trends. -- 4.5.3. Dip Sampling of Public satisfaction. -- 4.5.4. Monitor and learn from complaints about the police. -- 4.5.5. Independent reporting to scrutiny boards. -- 4.5.6. The Equality Impact Assessment. -- 4.6. Improving confidence. -- 4.6.1. Issuing letters to parents/guardians of children stopped and searched. -- 4.6.2. Providing advice slips to all persons stopped and searched. -- 4.6.3. Quality assurance by local lay advisory group and community engagement groups. -- 4.6.4. Work with local schools, colleges and universities. -- 4.6.5. Training of staff. -- 4.6.6. Aide memories. -- 4.6.7. Internal feedback on the pilot. -- 4.6.8. Media and social media exposure. -- 4.7. The extent of change to police and staff practice: data-informed stops. -- 4.7.1. ‘Business as usual’ -- 4.7.2. Intelligence driven decision-making. -- 4.7.3. Experiential knowledge about stop and search. -- 4.8. The extent of change to police practice: conduct of a stop and search. -- 4.8.1. Recording a stop and search. -- 4.8.2. Advice slips and phone numbers. -- 4.8.3. Protocol with young people. -- 4.8.4. The pilot effect. -- 4.8.5. Defining a stop and search. -- 4.8.6. Stop and search and the problem of public accountability. -- 4.8.7. Consensual stop and search. -- 4.9. Views of police officers and staff: the degree of change. -- 4.9.1. Highlighting positive outcomes of the Pilot. -- 4.9.2. No improvement/knowledge about the outcomes of the pilot. -- 4.9.3. Opinions about the use of stop and search in general. -- 4.10. Views of members of the public: stop and search and confidence in the police. -- 4.10.1. Findings from police consultation events. -- 4.10.2. Rationale for stop and search. -- 4.10.3. A person being known to the police. -- 4.10.4. Respectful treatment by the police. -- 4.10.5. Collecting the phone numbers. -- 4.10.6. Opinions on the advice slip from people who were stopped and searched. -- 4.10.7. Opinion of the people who were stopped and searched about the police. --
5. Conclusion and Recommendations. -- 5.1. Recommendations.