Stripping and Searching Children

Any system of criminal procedure committed to due process will seek to temper the investigation of suspected crime with regard to the proper interests of the suspect, particularly where the suspect is not yet an adult. It is trite to observe that some tension is inevitable between police powers to conduct their investigative responsibilities in a timely and effective manner and the individual’s human rights, with obvious potential for grey areas of ambiguity and uncertainty. In this respect the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 40 helps to set the bar by requiring State Parties to