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<p> </p><p> </p><p>Full searching is necessary to ensure the safety and security of
young people in custody. We have a duty to keep any item out that could endanger the
safety of young people out of secure establishments and use a number of measures to
disrupt their supply. Full searches are an important part of this and can be used
effectively when conducted on a risk or intelligence led basis - so when there is
reason to believe the young person is concealing an item that represents a risk to
themselves or others.</p><p>Following a review by the Youth Justice Board in early
2011, a new risk based approach to full searching was introduced in Secure Children's
Homes and Secure Training Centres. All Secure Children's Homes and Secure Training
Centres were therefore already operating a risk based approach on 1 April 2014. A
predominantly risk and intelligence led approach to full searching in under-18 Young
Offenders Institutions has been taken since April 2012, although there continued to
be a mandatory requirement to routinely full search all young people in certain circumstances
where it was considered there was a heightened risk of contraband being smuggled into
the secure environment.</p><p> </p><p>Since June 2013, the National Offender Management
Service has been piloting a fully risk-led approach to full searching in Parc and
Werrington under-18 Young Offenders Institutions. Hindley under-18 Young Offenders
Institution was added to the pilot in October 2013. Following an evaluation of this
pilot, all under-18 Young Offenders Institutions will be moving to a fully risk-led
approach on 5 May 2014. A revised Prison Service Instruction on searching of young
people was published today and can be found at the following link<a title="http://www.justice.gov.uk/offenders/psis"
href="http://www.justice.gov.uk/offenders/psis" target="_blank">http://www.justice.gov.uk/offenders/psis</a></p>
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