This book reviews the key controversies surrounding the police power to stop and search members of the public. It explores the history and development of these powers, assesses their effectiveness in tackling crime and their impact on public trust and confidence as well as on-going attempts at regulation and reform.

Rebekah Delsol is the program officer for ethnic profiling at the Open Society Justice Initiative, UK.Michael Shiner is an Associate Professor of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK.

Foreword; Robert Reiner 1. Introduction; Rebekah Delsol And Michael Shiner 2. The Legal Powers And Their Limits; Lee Bridges 3. The Politics Of The Powers; Michael Shiner And Rebekah Delsol 4. Race Disproportionality And Officer Decision Making; Paul Quinton 5. Effectiveness; Rebekah Delsol 6. Unintended Consequences; Ben Bradford 7. Counter-Terrorism Policing; Tara Lai Quinlan And Zin Derfoufi 8. Regulation And Reform; Michael Shiner 9. Towards A Transnational And Comparative Perspective; Ben Bowling And Estelle Marks 10. Conclusion; Rebekah Delsol And Michael Shiner