Calls for a government rethink on 'Stop and Search'

There are calls for the government to rethink their policy on 'stop and search' which many believe violates human rights.

The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) once again recommended Home Secretary Theresa May to amend the policy on the controversial practice to reflect the "respect of private life" clause in the European Convention of Human Rights.

Stop and search powers were introduced under the 2002 Terrorism Act and gave officers the power to conduct random searches of peoples possessions without the need for a warrant or evidence against the individual.

But there are many who believe that the policy unfairly targets ethnic minorities with the Guardian reporting that Black people were 26 times more likely to be stopped and searched than the white community.

The issue is set to be debated in the House of Lords this week but the joint select committee made up of MPs and peers believes that May should make clear that officers authorising a stop must have a reasonable basis to suspect that an act of terrorism will take place and that the action is necessary and proportionate to prevent it.

Dr. Hywel Francis MP, chair of the human rights body, The Joint Select Committee, said,

"We are disappointed that, despite some welcome clarifications, the Government has not accepted the need to amend this Order to prevent possible future human rights violations."

He added,

"The power to stop and search without reasonable suspicion is rightly controversial and has to be very tightly controlled. We remain concerned that, as it stands, without tighter definition of the power and stronger legal safeguards, the Order will not prevent future legal challenges."