New row over stop and search

No police force recorded a fall in reported race crime

Black people are still five times more likely than whites to be stopped, searched and arrested according to new Home Office figures.

The findings have disappointed race campaigners in the wake of the Macpherson inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence, which criticised the use of stop and search.

The figures revealed that black people are targeted more often despite an overall drop in use of the power.

The report also found a doubling in the number of racist crimes reported to police.

Report findings

Per 1,000 people, 81 blacks stopped and searched compared with 26 Asians and 16 whites

Per 1,000 people, 113 blacks arrested compared with 37 Asians and 26 whites

In London nearly 60% of people arrested for robbery black, compared to 28% elsewhere

Stop and search down 40% in London, 14% elsewhere

Last month Conservative leader William Hague said police were wary of using stop and search in case they were accused of racism following the Macpherson report's finding that they were "institutionally racist".

But Milena Buyum, of the National Assembly Against Racism, said: "The figures blow out the whole furore about the police feeling undermined and demoralised regarding their authority to stop and search black people.

She said the report made "very depressing reading" in the post-Macpherson era.

Home Secretary Jack Straw insisted police use of stop and search backed by reasonable suspicion was supported both by his department and the Macpherson report.

He insisted the power was now being targeted more accurately than before.

Success rate up

"Although the numbers have come down, the arrest rate has gone up, and that's good news," Mr Straw told the BBC.

Where the people committing the robberies happen to be black, the police have got to be able to deal with that as effectively and forcefully as if these people were white

Jack Straw

"For example, in respect of black people in London, [the police] success rate has improved by a quarter.

"In the previous year, just 13% of those stopped and searched were then arrested. That has now gone up to 17%."

He stressed that where there was a particular problem with robbery, "it has got to be dealt with".

"Where the people committing the robberies happen to be black, the police have got to be able to deal with that as effectively and forcefully as if these people were white."

But he also dismissed as "utter nonsense" suggestions the recent rise in violent crime was linked to fewer stop and searches.

Claims police were being required to conform to the strictures of "political correctness" were a "smokescreen" put up by right-wingers who wanted to allege that the police had "gone soft on the black community" but did not have the guts to say so openly, he added.

Increasing confidence

The home secretary also welcomed the rise in reported racist crime, saying it showed increasing confidence among the black and Asian population to report such incidents.

The total number of race crimes in England and Wales rose from 23,049 recorded over 1998-99 to nearly 48,000 the following year.

Some forces reported huge increases - in West Mercia the figures went up by 459% and in Devon and Cornwall by 364%.

None of the 43 forces showed a reduction.

Complacency warning

The statistics were published at the same time as a separate report found most forces were doing well on dealing with race and homophobic crime and recruiting ethnic minority staff.

But Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary did say more effort was needed to end "complacency regarding this proportionality in the use of stop and search tactics".

The study also called for more work to retain and promote ethnic minority staff.