Latest news with #NationalCustodySystem
The Independent
06-03-2025
- The Independent
Several children detained in police custody for too long, inspectors find
Police in Glasgow held children in custody for too long with no record of their reason for doing so, inspectors found. HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) and Healthcare Improvement Scotland reviewed custody centres at London Road, Govan and Cathcart police stations in September 2024. Inspectors examined a sample of 90 custody records from July 2024 which revealed five occasions when children aged between 13 and 17 were held in cells for longer than they deemed necessary. A 13-year-old was held in custody for more than six hours, three children aged 14 were held for more than six, 10 and 12 hours respectively, and a 16-year-old was held overnight for more than nine hours, the inspectors found. The HMICS report said on each occasion the youngsters – none of whom were being held for court appearances – had been charged with what they considered to be 'minor offences'. The report also noted there was no record on the Police Scotland National Custody System to indicate a custody inspector was aware of, or had sanctioned, the detention decisions. The aim of the joint inspection was to assess the treatment of, and conditions for, individuals detained at the three primary custody centres in Glasgow. Craig Naylor, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland, has called on Police Scotland to ensure decisions involving children in police custody are subject to 'robust management oversight'. He has also recommended Police Scotland make sure such decisions are recorded appropriately. Mr Naylor said: 'The staff we spoke to highlighted that the custody division aimed to minimise the number of child arrests wherever possible, and to reduce the time spent in custody at the centres. 'However, our review of records highlighted anomalies in the length of time some children spent in custody. 'We consider holding children in a cell for the length of times we noted to be inappropriate, disproportionate to the offence, inconsistent with custody policy, and potentially detrimental to the child. 'None of these records contained a sufficient rationale to explain why it was necessary and proportionate to delay liberating the child.' Inspectors said the provision of healthcare within each of the custody centres was good but noted custody staff and local policing officers had described staffing shortages as 'very challenging'. The HMICS report recommended Police Scotland examine staffing levels at the custody centres and make arrangements to ensure appropriate staffing levels are in place. It also highlighted concerns regarding a lack of consistency in the recording of information. Mr Naylor said: 'We have continued to find disparities, in some cases, between the risk assessments undertaken and the corresponding care plans put in place to mitigate risk. 'Similarly, we found a lack of quality assurance of operational practice taking place – an issue which we have raised previously and have made a recommendation for improvement. 'While recommendations outlined in this report have specific relevance for Glasgow custody centres, some will be equally applicable to other custody centres across Scotland and should be considered in future improvement planning by Police Scotland's criminal justice services division.' Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Wendy Middleton said the force welcomes the report and will 'carefully consider' the findings and recommendations. She said: 'Whilst issues have been identified and will be addressed, we have seen a reduction in the number of younger children being brought into custody overall and a significant decrease in the number of older children held over 24 hours. 'This demonstrates a collective desire not to have children in our care for any longer than is absolutely necessary, and this will continue to be a priority for us. 'We have made it clear that police custody is no place for children and young people, and we are actively working with stakeholders including the Children's Commissioner to explore appropriate alternatives to police custody for children and young people and to minimise the occasions on which it may be necessary.'
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Yahoo
Police Scotland ‘not recording ethnicity correctly' on DNA database
Police Scotland was warned it was not recording DNA ethnicity data correctly amid a row around allegations of institutional racism within the force. Former Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone said Police Scotland 'is institutionally racist and discriminatory', months before retiring in August 2023. However the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner, Dr Brian Plastow, called on Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) to review procedures for recording ethnicity when it collects DNA or other biometric data following arrest – and issued a report saying failure to do so correctly was 'concerning'. Less than 1,000 crimes a year in Scotland are solved using DNA – typically murders, assaults and sex offences – and Police Scotland was told to develop a biometrics strategy including cost, to be approved and in place before October 31. Biometric data includes DNA and fingerprints, and publicly available information on the UK's National DNA Database allows scrutiny to see if any ethnic group is over-represented – with black citizens accounting for 7.5%, despite being 4% of the UK population according to the 2021/22 census. The 2022 Scottish census noted that 1.3% of the population is of black heritage – however, no details about ethnicity are recorded on the Scottish DNA Database (SDNAD), which is almost 30 years old, meaning experts were unable to establish if there was over-representation. A decade after a £6 million investment in world-class DNA technology in the Scottish Crime Campus in Gartcosh, North Lanarkshire, the benefits 'have not been fully realised', and 70% of the profiles are of a lower scientific standard due to a failure to re-test offenders, the report warned. Properly recording data would support Police Scotland's equality duties and help maintain public confidence, amid allegations of 'institutional racism', supported by Chief Constable Jo Farrell, it was said. Dr Plastow said: 'SPA Forensic Services and Police Scotland were unable to provide us with any reliable management information on the ethnicity of anyone held within SDNAD as the database is nearly 30 years old and not designed to record this information. 'Failing to properly record and publish data on ethnicity of arrested people whose biometric data is held is concerning, against the context of the former and current chief constables having stated that institutional racism persists. 'We have been unable to establish whether there is over-representation on grounds of ethnicity or any protected characteristic.' As an alternative, Police Scotland were asked to provide ethnicity data from its National Custody System, for arrests from 2023 to 2024 where DNA was taken. However, this mandatory information was 'incomplete' and 'unreliable', Dr Plastow said. He added: 'The data extract obtained by Police Scotland was incomplete and so heavily caveated to render it unreliable.' Seven recommendations were made after a joint review with the SPA and the Leverhulme Institute of Forensic Science, on the acquisition, retention, use and destruction of DNA. Dr Plastow said: 'DNA provided a potential investigative lead in only 0.34% of recorded crime in Scotland in 2023 to 2024, but those investigative leads can be spectacular.' The report highlighted that where a criminal has been re-arrested, no fresh DNA sample is routinely taken if a lower standard DNA profile was recorded predating 2014 – despite investment that year which gave Police Scotland access to the most advanced DNA analysis facilities available internationally. In 2014, after the establishment of Police Scotland and the SPA, the Scottish Government spent £6 million on the new DNA testing facility, but a decision not to re-test samples predating 2014, means less than a third of offenders' profiles are currently of the newer DNA24 standard, it was warned. Dr Plastow said: 'When the new facility opened there were more than 250,000 samples A decision was taken on the grounds of cost and laboratory capacity not to do any bulk back record conversion, as it would have cost more than £10 million. 'More than 10 years after the introduction of DNA24, 69.9% of profiles held are still of a lower scientific standard.' Police Scotland was urged to review its DNA Confirmed policy to increase DNA24 profiles, for more effective investigations, and to develop a biometrics strategy including capital expenditure before October 31. Dr Plastow said: 'Holding DNA24 profiles would lead to more effective and efficient investigations and eliminate innocent suspects more quickly. 'Without such a plan, there is no clear vision of what Police Scotland hopes to achieve with DNA, fingerprints, facial images, or other biometric enabled technologies including retrospective facial search.' Police Scotland and the SPA have been contacted for comment.
The Independent
26-02-2025
- The Independent
Police Scotland ‘not recording ethnicity correctly' on DNA database
Police Scotland was warned it was not recording DNA ethnicity data correctly amid a row around allegations of institutional racism within the force. Former Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone said Police Scotland 'is institutionally racist and discriminatory', months before retiring in August 2023. However the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner, Dr Brian Plastow, called on Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) to review procedures for recording ethnicity when it collects DNA or other biometric data following arrest – and issued a report saying failure to do so correctly was 'concerning'. Less than 1,000 crimes a year in Scotland are solved using DNA – typically murders, assaults and sex offences – and Police Scotland was told to develop a biometrics strategy including cost, to be approved and in place before October 31. Biometric data includes DNA and fingerprints, and publicly available information on the UK's National DNA Database allows scrutiny to see if any ethnic group is over-represented – with black citizens accounting for 7.5%, despite being 4% of the UK population according to the 2021/22 census. The 2022 Scottish census noted that 1.3% of the population is of black heritage – however, no details about ethnicity are recorded on the Scottish DNA Database (SDNAD), which is almost 30 years old, meaning experts were unable to establish if there was over-representation. A decade after a £6 million investment in world-class DNA technology in the Scottish Crime Campus in Gartcosh, North Lanarkshire, the benefits 'have not been fully realised', and 70% of the profiles are of a lower scientific standard due to a failure to re-test offenders, the report warned. Properly recording data would support Police Scotland's equality duties and help maintain public confidence, amid allegations of 'institutional racism', supported by Chief Constable Jo Farrell, it was said. Dr Plastow said: 'SPA Forensic Services and Police Scotland were unable to provide us with any reliable management information on the ethnicity of anyone held within SDNAD as the database is nearly 30 years old and not designed to record this information. 'Failing to properly record and publish data on ethnicity of arrested people whose biometric data is held is concerning, against the context of the former and current chief constables having stated that institutional racism persists. 'We have been unable to establish whether there is over-representation on grounds of ethnicity or any protected characteristic.' As an alternative, Police Scotland were asked to provide ethnicity data from its National Custody System, for arrests from 2023 to 2024 where DNA was taken. However, this mandatory information was 'incomplete' and 'unreliable', Dr Plastow said. He added: 'The data extract obtained by Police Scotland was incomplete and so heavily caveated to render it unreliable.' Seven recommendations were made after a joint review with the SPA and the Leverhulme Institute of Forensic Science, on the acquisition, retention, use and destruction of DNA. Dr Plastow said: 'DNA provided a potential investigative lead in only 0.34% of recorded crime in Scotland in 2023 to 2024, but those investigative leads can be spectacular.' The report highlighted that where a criminal has been re-arrested, no fresh DNA sample is routinely taken if a lower standard DNA profile was recorded predating 2014 – despite investment that year which gave Police Scotland access to the most advanced DNA analysis facilities available internationally. In 2014, after the establishment of Police Scotland and the SPA, the Scottish Government spent £6 million on the new DNA testing facility, but a decision not to re-test samples predating 2014, means less than a third of offenders' profiles are currently of the newer DNA24 standard, it was warned. Dr Plastow said: 'When the new facility opened there were more than 250,000 samples A decision was taken on the grounds of cost and laboratory capacity not to do any bulk back record conversion, as it would have cost more than £10 million. 'More than 10 years after the introduction of DNA24, 69.9% of profiles held are still of a lower scientific standard.' Police Scotland was urged to review its DNA Confirmed policy to increase DNA24 profiles, for more effective investigations, and to develop a biometrics strategy including capital expenditure before October 31. Dr Plastow said: 'Holding DNA24 profiles would lead to more effective and efficient investigations and eliminate innocent suspects more quickly. 'Without such a plan, there is no clear vision of what Police Scotland hopes to achieve with DNA, fingerprints, facial images, or other biometric enabled technologies including retrospective facial search.'
