There must be ‘robust grounds’ for strip searches of women in jail – Constance

Female prisoners should only be subjected to strip searches when there are “robust grounds” for this, the Justice Secretary has said.

Angela Constance said she had raised the issue with the chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) after the head of Scotland’s prisons inspectorate demanded the practice must stop.

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland Wendy Sinclair-Gieben said she was “shocked” to discover strip-searching is continuing during a recent visit to a women’s community custody unit, with the inspector highlighting her concerns to the Justice Secretary.

Labour’s Pauline McNeill also raised concerns with Ms Constance in Holyrood, saying strip searches were happening “routinely” inside prisons “despite ministers saying five years ago the practice would be reduced”.

She said the practice – also known as body searches – could be “retraumatising” for those inmates who had suffered abuse.

Ms McNeill went on to to ask the Justice Secretary: “How quickly does she think this practice can come to an end?”

Ms Constance said it was a “very serious matter”, telling MSPs that she shared the chief inspector’s concerns, as she added that body scanners could be used to reduce the need for such searches.

The Justice Secretary said she had had discussions with the SPS about the issue and had “sought further assurances that body-searching will only be used when there is robust grounds and robust intelligence for this”.

She added she was “due to have further discussions with the Scottish Prison Service on this matter”.

Earlier this week, a Scottish Prison Service spokesperson said it had now “installed body scanner machines in 11 establishments”, adding its staff “only conduct body searches where necessary to keep people safe”.