Section 60, 30 years on

The centre for justice reform proudly presents the launch of a StopWatch report arguing for the scrapping of section 60 of the Criminal Justice Public Order Act 1994 on human rights grounds, 30 years on from the power coming into force.

November will mark 30 years since the introduction of section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act – the power to stop and search without suspicion. It presents the perfect opportunity for a retrospective discussion of its impact in England and Wales.

StopWatch, a charity campaigning against the overpolicing of marginalised communities, argue in a forthcoming report that police use of section 60 has persistently violated the human rights of racialised peoples and therefore must be scrapped.

Join us for a discussion where experts and prominent figures in criminal justice policy debate the power’s legacy and ask: is section 60 still fit for purpose?