Twelve month review of the Code of Practice for Stop and Search in Scotland: Quantitative Report

This report was commissioned to support the work of the Scottish Government's Independent Advisory Group on Stop and Search. It provides the quantitative evidence used to support the recommendations to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice around the use of stop and search in Scotland on the basis of a twelve month review of the operation of the new Code of Practice for Police Scotland. The report shows that rates of search declined significantly in Scotland, starting well before the introduction of the Code of Practice. However, success rates - as measured by positive searches - have increased markedly across all Scottish police divisions. There continue to be geographical variations in the use of stop and search; however, there is far less evidence of disproportionate use of the tactic by sex, age or ethnicity. The report indicates that police powers are being used appropriately around stop and search in Scotland, and it does not provide evidence in support of the introduction of a new power of search for alcohol amongst young people. The work of the Advisory Group, as originally specified by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, has now been completed and the report recommends that further scrutiny be transferred to the Scottish Police Authority.