England stop and search pilot scheme does not cut violence, thinktank finds

The study found that people from ethnic minority backgrounds were more likely to be stopped and searched, and experienced poor mental and physical health as a result. Photograph: Chris Bull/Alamy

A pilot scheme that allows police to stop and search people without having any grounds for suspicion does not work to reduce serious violence and disproportionately targets people of colour, a report has concluded.

In the first comprehensive review of evidence on stop and search and serious violence reduction orders (SVROs), the racial equality thinktank Runnymede Trust found that there was no statistically significant link between existing police stop and search powers and violence prevention or reduction.