Closed petition Stop the use of Juvenile Covert Human Intelligence Sources (child spies).

Closed on 25 January 2019

Currently Juvenile CHIS (child spies) can be used to gather information to do with offences such as gang violence, drug offences and child sexual exploitation. They can be authorised for covert activity for up to one month which the government is trying to increase to 4 months.

The Home office has given no numbers of how many child spies are used, how the risk assessments are carried out and whether the handlers are trained to assess juvenile mental health. The capacity for children to consent to being spies is dubious given they must feel under pressure from an authority figure (the police force) and are vulnerable in a dangerous situation. Refer to 35th Report of Session 2017-2019 of the House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee.